Ski resort reviews

If you can check the snow/weather conditions a few days before booking your ski trip, I would say it is a good place to go. Nice village, good food, low budget, nice runs... But if you need to book all in advance, I will advice you to choose some place else. I booked in Dec/2023 trusting that in the end of Jan/2024 all would go well but it was horrible. It was a very hot week, snow was melting or getting really icy, and almost all blue runs (my level!) were closed because there was no snow at all... It was a nightmare and my so much desired winter vacations were ruined regarding ski... Not Bardonecchia fault of course, the problem was the weather, but I would never recommend or go back again...

• Nice village, good food, low budget

• not snow sure at all! Check before going!

I was so excited to come over. It's a ski resort that is situated in the heart of Oppdal. What a panorama you get here on a clear day! However, I was way more disappointed in the slopes and the organisation in general. There is no feeling with international tourists. Indications to essential information remain in Norwegian. Especially information that avoids additional costs. After I had asked what some of the signs in Norwegian would mean, I got completely lost because no one seemed to know. I was flabbergasted by the answer I got. It took about 30minutes to have some clarity to simple key information. No maps of the resort are provided at the booth. Parking is at own expense without the (expensive) ticket to the field. Once at the field, you really don't get value for your money. The safety signals are mostly confusing. Even the fact that some of those signals were generally missing. People get lost at the slopes. The slopes are being maintained at a minimal level of quality - I would call this 'French quality with German attitude', which is a toxic combination to the worst experience you could ever imagine for people's safetiness and joy. Preparation at the slopes is poorly done. Slopes are ice, miss snow and get really dangerous due to the inclement weather the resort is being exposed. The snow that caught the slopes was mainly brought by the wind itself. I was really lucky the weather was clear and sunny. I cannot imagine this resort would be suitable in any other circumstances. This management misses vital awareness on how to cope with peole's needs.

Very old outdated lift system. Lots of buttons and T bars, and yet the actual lift pass is ridiculously expensive.

• High resort so snow was good

• Expensive, tired, grubby resort

Big ski area with wide slopes and good connections. We liked the valley runs in particular. The lifts are a little old, no bubble lifts or heated seats. Food and drink was quite dear.

• Nice slopes - medium-sized ski area

• Old lifts, expensive restaurants

Lots of people in the town made for a good atmosphere. The ski area is also great for everyone, with both easy and difficult pistes. Big enough so you can ski all day and still have something new left for tomorrow.

• Easy to reach the slopes without too much walking

• Expensive

Westendorf is a part of the SkiWelt, which has a modern lift system and excellent facilities and terrain, restaurants, etc. The village is cosy and friendly, and you don't need your car.

• Good variety of pistes, snow parks, good lifts

• The slopes are low-altitude so the valley runs are sometimes sketchy. Stick to the higher runs

The new Fleckalmbahn is awesome, makes it loads easier to get around and practically eliminates wait times. Perfect ski area, perfect town, what more can I say?

• The new Fleckalmbahn

• Maybe the Pengelstein II... not really a negative point though

Enormous ski area with a large variety of lifts and red and blue slopes. Good food and affordable prices. Gets crowded over the school holidays. Ski school is great as are the instructors. Not much to do in the town itself.

• Lots of slopes

• Not much atmosphere in the village

Enormous ski area with a large variety of lifts and red and blue slopes. Good food and affordable prices. Gets crowded over the school holidays. Ski school is great as are the instructors. Not much to do in the town itself.

• Lots of slopes

• Not much atmosphere in the village

Great resort for a family ski holiday!

• Good vibe

• Not enough après-ski

The largest and most central of 3 pedestrianised villages with authentic chalets. Lifts nearby no matter which accommodation you choose. Yummy food and friendly locals.

• Nice runs and very good off-piste possibilities

• Pricy

Car-free, snow-sure, pretty little town

• Lovely views and location

• No après-ski to speak of

I flew to Innsbruck in January and loved it. It was easy to reach my accommodation from the airport, and both the slopes and the town were within quick reach of each other. The Ski Plus City pass is a fantastic initiative. I'll definitely be back!

• Great shops
• Easy to reach the ski area

We come here twice a year and have been coming for 25 years - enough said!

• Haven't found any

Nice ski area, but very expensive and the town is a little dull. For skiing in Switzerland we prefer Zermatt, where you get better value for your money.

• Nice slopes, child-friendly ski area

• Absurd prices given the outdated lifts and small capacity, queued for a long time in the mornings

We came to Passo Tonale for our Christmas holidays (2019). Six or seven of the nicest runs were continually shut for training. It's already a small ski area, and this made it even smaller. Starting the day after Christmas the crowds came pouring in and it got really busy. We thought they could have handled the piste opening and closing times better.

• Fresh snow, great skiing

• Too many pistes closed for training

Years ago before we had kids we were able to spend the whole day on the slopes. Nice mountain restaurants and many familiar faces in the lift queues as we've been coming here for 20 years. Now with the children our priorities are a little different and we spend more time in the town, which is nicely laid out and easy to wander through. For the children there is swimming, sledging and ice skating. In short, a wonderful place for a winter holiday with or without kids!

• Nice town
• Two great mountains

• Town itself is expensive, we stayed about ten minutes away

Zell am Ziller has a fantastic location within easy reach of the neighbouring ski areas. Within 10 minutes you can be in Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller or Kalgenbach, and just a little further away is the Hintertux Glacier. Zell am Ziller has everything for a ski holiday - ski hire, après-ski, shops and restaurants. A cosy little town where everyone feels at home!

• Location

I would advise against any families to take their kids on holiday here. My child was grabbed by his arm which is (badly bruised and swollen ) and thrown on the floor by a lift employee, because he entered the rope lift the wrong side. When my son was crying the lift man told him to shut up. I went to see the chef/ manager and he couldn't care less that my son was abused and in pain. He said it was my son's own fault because he entered the lift the wrong way and I should take the blame and responsibility.

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Ischgl is a ski area with inspiring terrain for all skiers from beginner to advanced, especially those who also value a good après-ski scene. What is unfortunately missing are cosy and rustic huts. Unfortunately you're more likely to find huge self-service restaurants that are geared to handle a "mass of skiers" as quickly as possible! Hopefully in coming years Ischgl will start focusing more quality over quantity.

• Ski area

• Huts lack personality and are designed to get as many people through as possible

Easy pistes perfect for the children. Possible to ski non-stop between 3500m and 1550m altitude on varied terrain. Expert skiers and snowboarders can take advantage of the link to Zermatt.

• Great bars in the village, Italian ambience

Great ski resort for families, magnificent high-altitude views of the Devoluy Massif, breathtaking scenery overall! It's rare to find a ski area that feels so spacious; this mountain gives the feeling of openness instead of feeling slightly claustrophobic like some other alpine resorts.

• Architecture and layout of the station are very harmonious

• Cinema could be improved

We went to Feldberg in late spring and the snow cover wasn't great, unfortunately. But we could tell that with more snow, this would have been a nice little ski area, not too small, not too big, a nice variety of pistes and several umbrella bars where you could get a drink. We'll have to go back!

• Bars on the slopes

• Poor snow cover when we went

Berchtesgaden is a lovely, romantic destination. I come here often with my wife to go cross-country skiing. Easy to find accommodation last-minute and the people are very friendly, we always feel at home here. There are good restaurants and you can also go winter hiking here.

We had an absolutely wonderful ski holiday in Wengen. Starting in Lauterbrunnen when we boarded the train, we already felt like we were on holiday. No stressing about the car, beacuse you just leave it in the valley. The village is all snow-covered streets and no exhaust from cars. Wengen is quite big but we immediately felt at home. As to the ski area, we found it perfect for advanced skiers, with beautiful views from the slopes amidst a breathtaking landscape. The Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are wonderful! Wengen is unparalleled!

• Car-free
• Train
• Lauberhorn

• Pricy

The runs are fantastic but a bit steep for beginners. I'm a snowboarder and loved the ski area and the quality of the snow, I'll be back again next year! The spa is also a must.

• Superb slopes for expert skiers and snowboarders

Don't come here if you have a small budget because everything is dear in Megève! The ski passes, the drinks, the mountain restaurants... But it's a charming station with a friendly atmosphere... As for the skiing, can't say enough good things about it, we love the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area!

• Charming ski resort
• Good restaurants
• Dream skiing

• Expensive

Went with a group and the better skiers amongst us were very happy, especially in the back area. Beginners may find it a little overwhelming as some faster skiers and snowboarders get mixed in with the green runs. Cruisers were well-groomed, though you mostly go here for the powder and the great views.

• Powder snow
• Scenery

• Not ideal for beginners

The ski area is amazingly beautiful and the views are unbeatable. The supermarket and lifts were nearby, loads of great hiking trails in the area and hardly any wait times for the lifts. Friendly staff and good facilities.

• Nice hiking trails and great pistes, even for beginners

• Not many covered chairs and it can get freakishly cold up there!

La Clusaz is a nice ski resort with a good variety of slopes for every level. There are slopes through the trees, a few green and blue slopes for beginners and nice challenging slopes for more advanced skiers. Although there's a freestyle zone, we would have liked to see more slopes for experts.

• Enough variety for every level
• Well organised
• Easy connections between slopes
• Friendly staff

• Restaurants were very expensive
• Not many slopes for beginners

We spent a week in Tignes and had great snow, you could ski almost everywhere, both on-piste and next to the pistes. The slopes are nice and wide, which helps reduce crowds. We never had to wait longer than 5-10 minutes for a lift! Overall a super experience in Tignes.

• Lots of pistes and not many crowds

• Outdated lifts

Visited Les Gets earlier this year and loved exploring the shops and restaurants that are conveniently located right next to the slopes. Nice wide pistes, perfectly groomed. Cosy après-ski scene next to the pistes. Most accommodation is within walking distance of the ski area.

• Good atmosphere, good slopes, decent après-ski

• Expensive, hard to park

What an amazing winter sports location, a beautiful town... lots to see and do, shops to browse, patios for having a drink. Great pistes, truly something for every ability level.

• No tall buildings, just a classic ski town feel

• Easily twice as dear as Switzerland, bring a full wallet

St. Moritz is a lovely place. Nice views and a super ski area. Good hotels and shopping. Stylish, we loved it!

I was here with my partner in February. We were looking for a place where we could relax after skiing. La Tania fulfilled all our expectations for a winter sports holiday, tranquility but exciting slopes. Incredibly beautiful ski area! Top marks all around.

I spent three weeks in Keystone and the neighbouring ski resorts, mostly drawn by the snow parks and off-piste possibilities. I've never seen such amazing snow parks. Europe's snow parks are getting better all the time but this is a real mecca for freestylers. The general level of freestylers is also quite high, really inspiring to watch if you're still trying to improve yourself.

Since not everybody in our group skis (guilty), each year we try to find a ski resort where we can all do our own thing. This time it was Gstaad. At first I was reticent, but it turns the station is less see-and-be-seen and more just plain chic, with the atmosphere still managing to be laid-back. The car-free village centre is a nice touch. My husband found the ski area a little on the modest side, but I personally loved the walking trails that take you between the chalets, and especially the spas - those were definitely worthy of Gstaad's reputation!

• Charming and elegant village
• Your every whim is provided for
• So many spas!

• Limited ski area
• Constant reminders that you're in a jet-set destination when talking to people

We spent most of our time savouring the delicious Savoyard food! I've known this ski resort for more than 30 years. It's got something for everyone and some great mogul runs.

• Direct access to the slopes from the apartments

• Nothing

Nice runs and lots of variety. We got a great deal on our season's pass, which makes it worth your while if you want to go for a week's ski holiday and perhaps a sneaky weekend in the spring. Nice ski area for children too.

• Good price for season's pass
• High altitude slopes
• 3 different towns to ski in

• The Swiss franc

No cars no dirty snow just white the sound of the snow of skis and of horses it's a marvellous place and fairytale-like with an enormous ski area and no queues... trees snow sun everything is done on skis arriving leaving it's amazing

• The setting

• The people are a little cold compared to other ski areas in France

Davos is the best ski town, and not only for skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, tobogganing and snowshoeing, but also just to relax and enjoy being in this beautiful natural setting.

• Loads of activities

At the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix is a small mountain town with an authentic and welcoming atmosphere. The free ski bus takes you to the ski areas, which each offer something unique so you can ski a different ski area each day on your ski holiday. Easy to get here by train or plane.

• Magnificent view
• Lively and welcoming atmosphere
• Different ski areas, each with their own feel
• Easy to get around by free bus
• Historic town with lots to do off the slopes

• No ski-in, ski-out access to pistes

We spent a week at Courchevel 1850 during February half-term with our children aged 7 and 10. Great ski resort with lots to do for the kids, cinema, luge, climbing wall, skating rink and the Family Park, which they really enjoyed. Only thing was it was crowded due to the French school holidays, if you can go outside those dates you're better off.

• Great ski area for all levels
• Lots of activities for kids
• You CAN find reasonable prices (if you look really hard)

• Crazy traffic in the resort centre
• Maybe too big of a resort if you have very young children

Forget about Austria, France, Italy. Better yet: forget Europe. All self-respecting skiers must visit Breckenridge (or America) once to really experience what a wonderful sport this is. In addition to the excellent facilities and short queues at the lifts (Americans allow each other space and don't push like our German friends, for example), the Rocky Mountains offer an overwhelming amount of skiing/snowboarding terrain. Breckenridge is first and foremost a village for families; Americans are much further along than Europeans when it comes to entertainment for the entire family. The ski school at Breckenridge is also a completely different experience than that of most European ski schools. Everything is (again) well organised. In addition, there is the possibility to buy a lift pass that allows you to explore other resorts. I was most impressed with Vail - not the village, which is very much see-and-be-seen, but the terrain for skiing and riding. The Arapahoe Basin is also worth a visit for experienced off-piste skiers. But Breckenridge is the best place if you're taking the trip of your lifetime and want to visit a skiing mecca. Truly an unforgettable experience for young and old.

Was here with my parents and the scenery in this region is just breathtaking, from the turquoise-blue Lake Louise to the Columbia Icefield (which is sadly receding at a shocking pace) to just the sense that you're in one of the places with the most history on this side of Canada. We visited the Banff Springs hotel to see one of the legendary old hotels that were built for the "new" railroad in the 1880's... Impressive!

• Stunning landscapes
• Friendly locals

• Glacier is receding... what a pity

We (two adults + 7-year-old son) were spontaneously in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for 4 days in February. Usually we always go to Austria for our ski holidays and I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised. The Garmisch Classic ski area turned out to be a great, family-friendly ski area with good value for money both on and off the slopes. The only thing we missed was the small, alpine-style vibe of a normal ski resort - Garmisch-Partenkirchen feels like a real city. But that is totally subjective and the advantage is that you have a wide choice of accommodation and restaurants. Conclusion: a successful holiday!

• Moderately priced
• Family friendly

Was in Val Tho this winter and loved the way the slopes run right through the village centre. It was a 2-minute walk from my apartment to the slopes. This is intermediate paradise - not so many black slopes but you can carve to your heart's delight all day. A shame the Cime Caron was closed when I went, but the view across to Orelle from the other summit was still very impressive. Didn't even have to go to the rest of the Three Valleys because Val Thorens' ski area kept me well busy for two days.

• Great for intermediate skiers
• La Folie Douce
• Ski-in, ski-out

• Not so many choices for expert skiers
• Cime Caron was closed

Nice landscape to hike in, winter and summer

• Friendly atmosphere

• Not very much nightlife or music

We had heard loads about the skiing in Morzine but weren't expecting such a beautiful little town - that was a nice bonus. The clientele was largely British, which also helped - no communication problems like in some other French towns! And of course, the skiing in Les Portes du Soleil... need we say anything more? The only thing was we went during French school holidays, won't be doing that again, it was very crowded. But that's not the fault of the resort. All in all, a great skiing destination.

• Slopes stayed sunny for much of the day
• Endless pistes in Les Portes du Soleil
• Good après-ski bars

• Crowded during school holidays

Skiing, skiing, skiing, it doesn't get any better!

• Endless kilometres of pistes

• Can be tiring if you're not in good shape

Love to visit here as much as i can Such a friendly place and great food I walk and use the Spa in our fantasic hotel while my husband is sking Enjoy evenings together with lovely food

• Small village with great sking and walking in beautiful area

• none

La Plagne 1800 is a small village with a few bars, restaurants and ski rental shops. We stayed at the Residence Edelweiss and had a lovely time!

We're in our sixties now and find that Les Arcs 1950 suits us best. The ski area is appropriate for all levels, and the village has a certain mountain charm to it.

• Pleasant, luxurious village

• Nothing to say

Went to Ischgl for the first time in February with my husband. We love skiing and après-ski and found Ischgl to be the perfect place for both. It was expensive, but you get what yo pay for. We loved that you can walk almost everywhere and don't have to rely too much on the ski bus. Excellent slopes, we had a blast skiing every day. We'll definitely be back.

• Great ski area and après-ski, we skied a lot of ski circuits

• Expensive

Nice ski area with enough challenges, especially for intermediate skiers. The kids love the funslopes. The village offers enough entertainment in the evenings or for non-skiers.

• Good slopes, good snow

• Pricey

The ski school is terrible. We booked my daughter for the 'snow garden' which they describe on their website as 'a gentle and enjoyable introduction to skiing and the snow, with activities and games designed especially for young children. There were no activities or games. The poor children sat on a bench from 9.30-10.30 doing absolutely nothing. When they went on the slopes (10.30-12.15), there were 11 children (aged under 5) per instructor so they just waited and waited for their turn. They basically went down about 3 metres once or twice as all their time was spent waiting. I felt so sorry not only for my daughter but all the children who just had to spend all morning waiting with nothing to do. Unfortunately there is only one ski school in the resort so there are no other options. We would not recommend or visit again. The photo shows the children waiting for one and a half hours before being taken out.

• Good restaurants

• Terrible ski school

We had a lovely time in Innsbruck last winter. Easy to reach by air and easy to move around by bus in the city. We stayed in a hotel in the centre and used it as a base to explore the city, which is neither too small nor too large. Naturally we visited all the highlights (Golden Roof, Alpenzoo). We also went to the top of the Nordkette to see the view. We are avid skiers and took a day trip to Axamer Lizum. In the evenings Innsbruck has a great atmosphere, lots of restaurants and bars where you can have a drink.

• Easy to reach
• Lively city
• Free ski bus

We found this to be a great ski resort. Nice long slopes including one that's 20km long. A day trip to Italy is heavily recommended. Zermatt is a charming village with lots to do. The snow conditions were good even in April. Pricey but well worth it. SUPER FANTASTICO!

Skied for a week with some friends, from intermediate to expert. Due to the enormous crowds on the valley runs, they start having bumps in the early afternoon. Lots of restaurants but many of them large and commercial. The Mooserwirt is a must-see but it's expensive and too big. In the village there are more options for dining out, but better reserve or everything will be full.

• Relatively easy to reach

• Busy, even in the off-season

In my opinion, Lech is absolutely one of the prettiest ski resort towns in Austria. The centre has a friendly atmosphere with lots of shops to browse. A shame it's so dear, but this does mean the clientele is somewhat more selective. No crazy après-ski but some nice outdoor terraces for sitting and having a drink. The ski area is great, nice wide runs for carving.

Nice town with lots to do, skiing, hiking, sledging. From the town you can reach the ski area with the train or the gondola and then ski into the different villages of the Jungfrau Region.

• Versatile ski resort with a huge kids' area
• Nice views
• Connection with Wengen

• Kinderland Bodmi was a little hard to reach from the general ski area. You can ski out, but not ski in.

The ski school is terrible. We booked my daughter for the 'snow garden' which they describe on their website as 'a gentle and enjoyable introduction to skiing and the snow, with activities and games designed especially for young children. There were no activities or games. The poor children sat on a bench from 9.30-10.30 doing absolutely nothing. When they went on the slopes (10.30-12.15), there were 11 children (aged under 5) per instructor so they just waited and waited for their turn. They basically went down about 3 metres once or twice as all their time was spent waiting. I felt so sorry not only for my daughter but all the children who just had to spend all morning waiting with nothing to do.

• Nice restaurants - good value for money

• Ski school is a complete waste of time and money as children do NOTHING. This photo shows children just sitting and waiting from 9.30-10.30. They then carry on doing nothing outside.

"You HAVE to ski Chamonix!" We were getting tired of hearing this all the time so we decided to check it out for ourselves - and we weren't disappointed. We are both serious skiers and we found ourselves right at home both on and off-piste. Chamonix village is a lovely village with a nice ambience. It's a little dear, but definitely not nearly as dear as neighbouring resorts in Switzerland. Overall a fantastic ski holiday and we racked up the kilometres.

• Nice ski area
• Great off-piste

• Expensive
• Crowded

Vorderlanersbach and Lanersbach are two quiet villages with lovely people and a real winter sports atmosphere. Sledging from the Rastkogel to Vorderlanersbach is highly recommended, don't forget to stop for a drink at the Olperblick. Try the graukase... he makes it himself, but he only has 1 cow... hahaha, awesome.

• Fantastic ski instructors, great place to perfect your technique

• Snow chains often needed if driving

Schladming is much more than just Planai. The four summits are connected so you can also reach Hauser Kaibling (lots of blue slopes, more suitable for intermediate skiers), Rohrmoos (more laid-back and friendly) and Reiteralm (wonderfully wide and beautiful slopes in the sunshine, with views of Dachstein). The ski area has something for everyone, from a snow park in the Reiteralm to tobogganing in Rohrmoos, from black pistes like De Tenne to relaxed après-ski in Planai and of course the relaxing Hauser Kaibling. Last but not least, there are gorgeous, unique cross-country trails in Rohrmoos Untertal. The village of Schladming is modern and has everything you need. A must-do!

You can ski at all the surrounding ski areas with one lift pass and connected by bus, very convenient. Nice wide slopes. Good restaurants.

• Reliable snow cover
• Short queues
• Sometimes no queue at all to get on the gondola

The village is really quiet, don't come here for the après-ski! Other than that the ski area is good, not super large so maybe a little boring for advanced skiers. But that might also have had something to do with the weather; when we were there it was misty and snowy, meaning a lot of the lifts and pistes were closed. Not as many mountain restaurants and bars as in Austria but the people were extremely friendly and willing to help, even though we were mostly relying on hand gestures! Overall a nice holiday.

We were in Oz en Oisans last winter. Very nice village if you have young children. My husband and I weren't looking for hugely challenging terrain so this ski area was perfect for us. Although I think experts can also manage well here. Very nice staff. All in all, we had a very nice holiday.

We've been to Livigno a few times now and always enjoyed it. The ski area isn't large, but if you don't mind skiing the same slope more than once, you can spend a nice week here. Make that an amazing week if there's fresh snow - there is fantastic off-piste skiing, even for beginners! The shops in the village have great bargains.

• Nice ski area
• Good value for money

• The wait at the tunnel

The village itself is small and quiet but at the bottom of the slopes there are enough options for pleasant après-ski, not just for families but also for young people. The classes of ski school S4 start in the valley and then go into the ski area together. Parents don't need to accompany their children up the hill, which saves queueing at the gondola. Moreover, there are two gondolas up from the valley, which means no hour-long waits, even in high season. There are several restaurants on the slopes where you can eat or grab a drink. The slopes are mainly blue and red, but some of the red slopes are quite tricky. This is also a good destination for off-piste skiing/snowboarding, and of course there are Saalbach and Hinterglemm not too far off. The only downside is that if you have small children and you want to eat together at lunchtime, you can't ski back and forth. We have been coming here for many years and have always had a blast, first without children and now with children aged 5 and 9. And they also love it here!

• Friendly atmosphere, small, not too busy, versatile

• Nothing

We spent a week skiing here with two other families, well-groomed pistes and fast lifts! An enormous ski area with lots of possibilities.

• Excellent for children

If you don't like it, just stay home

• Everything, we've been visiting for 20 years

• Not many grocery stores
• recommend stopping in Sion

Nobody warned us that most of the ski area was closed. We came for Easter weekend and ended up paying a very expensive lift pass for half a ski area. The website didn't have any information regarding the closure. All the mountain restaurants were closed, so we couldn't find anything to eat or drink on the slopes and had to go all the way down to the village to find something.

• Wonderful stay at the Landal Resort Maria Alm

• Expensive ski pass, considering our lift was closed and we had to drive to another one

First time skiing in France and I had a great time. Beautiful wide slopes, good quality snow thanks to the glacier. Very friendly people, very helpful. Nice village with many bars and restaurants and shops. Although the bars on the slopes were pricey, no more Austria for me, from now on Les Deux Alpes 👍👍👍

• The slopes

First time skiing in France, and I had a great time. Beautiful wide slopes, good quality snow thanks to the glacier. Very friendly people, very helpful. Nice village with many bars and restaurants and shops. Although the bars on the slopes were pricey, No more Austria for me, From now on Les Deux Alpes 👍👍👍

• The slopes

I have been going to Obergurgl for about 18 years and in my opinion it's going downhill. The skiing is great, but there are more and more tourists and especially rich tourists. Each year there is less of a cosy atmosphere; doesn't feel as authentic anymore. You're better off at Fiss Serfaus

• Reliable snow cover

• Expensive, boring

The staff at the ticket station were not helpful. My ski lift pass stopped working after lunch and I had to come back down from the slopes to sort it as there was no one who could do anything up in the slopes. By the time I had go back up to the gondola at 1600 to take it back to the ticket station it was 1400 and then back to the ticket station it was 1430. I didn’t want to take the gondola back to the slopes for the last hour so asked for a free half day the following day or a half day refund but there was no chance. She had no sympathy about the card not working and no customer experience skills to satisfy any of my requests so I had paid €43 go a couple of hours skiing. I was very disappointed in the attitude of the staff and and thief lack of customer satisfaction.

• Staff at ticket booth gave no customer relations skills and do not want to resolve any customer experience problems

We stayed in the village and was met by constant dismissal. From enquiries about the town to trying to obtain a seat in a particular restaurant dispite having a party of 4 adults and 4 teenagers. Almost every restaurant we tried to visit we were met with total snobbery. We have been visiting the skiwelt for several years and the two vista to brixem resulted in feeling less than worthy at being there. We have now found another Austrian village away from the skiwelt and wonder why we ever wanted to go there... I am not a vindictive man but hope the new road around your snobby village closes you off to the rest of Europe. Goodbye forever..

• The staff at the equipment hire were fantastic and do not deserve such snobby villages.

• Restaurants, villages, anti British negativity....

Ladis is a tranquil village with not much entertainment or après-ski. The upside is that it's just a 2-minute drive away from the Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis ski area and the Bertha ski school. Price-wise it's much more attractive to stay in Ladis vs. Serfaus or Fiss (both of which are busier and have more après-ski).

• Relaxing and central
• good for people who want get away from it all

• Lift to the ski school gets busy in the morning during the holiday season

Great wide runs, fairly easy. Good for beginners! Great snow!

• Great snow and lovely wide slopes

• Too easy for advanced skiers

Wide variety of pistes, ideal for challenging any level of skier. Nice wide slopes for practising carving as well as ski touring through the backcountry.

• Good snow cover
• Possible to ski in linked ski areas
• Well-groomed slopes
• Challenging terrain

• Limited après-ski options

Prices are ridiculous but the terrain here is incredible, from skiing through the trees to alpine-like skiing on Blackcomb Glacier to tricky couloirs and mogul runs. A must-ski at least once in your life, but maybe only once! Being so close to the coast, the ski area can get sopped in, but on good snow days this is truly a world-class resort.

• Unbeatable range of terrain
• Good selection of bars and restaurants

• Snow quality can be variable
• Expensive

Fantastic ski area in the Italian Dolomites. We've been going for years to Gerlos in Austria and there's great skiing there too but the Sella Ronda is hands-down the prettiest ski area we've seen so far. We'll be back next year.

• Great skiing

Fernie is on the famous "powder highway" and it lives up to its name!! We skied powder every day of our holiday and since most of the pistes are left ungroomed, this was a really different experience from skiing in the Alps. The town was also lovely if a little small.

• Amazing champagne powder snow
• Good nightlife
• No crowds
• Runs through the trees

• Slow lifts and some hiking between lifts
• Expensive

Good selection of mountain restaurants, nice slopes and a wonderful atmosphere in the village

• Atmosphere
• Car-free resort
• Ski-in, ski-out chalets right next to the pistes

We found this to be an unsatisfactory resort for a group of boarders. At least in La Toussuire, there were mostly short, boring pistes and some extremely slow lifts. It's a little better in the other villages but the connections aren't well set up. Very flat (annoying for snowboarders), several awkward forks, slow lifts that close with every snowfall, no gondolas in the whole ski area and way too many drag lifts considering it's 2019. Slopes also felt hastily groomed but that might have been due to the recent big snowfall.

• Large ski area
• Cheap
• Friendly people
• Not crowded

• Slow lifts
• Difficult to travel to linked ski areas

This area is high, not well known and so the queues are tiny. I have been the only person on a slope on an Easter Monday. The snow is less sure here as it doesn't snow when the wind blows from the North East. However they manage the snow well and it is high enough at 2,800m. No fine dining and not much night life.

• Reasonable prices, no queues

• Quiet in the evening and budget food

The best of many places I have skied in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria when looking for multiple options to cruise non-stop blue runs over long distances, linked with all of the Les Arcs area also. A paradise for all Blue Run Cruisers, but not so good for steep red and black junkies.

• Amazing, long, wide blue runs.
• Very scenic
• Great choice of accommodation - Ski to door
• BIG area, linking to Les Arcs

• If you are going to ski it all in 6 days, you need to keep moving
• quickly.

We were pleasantly surprised by the snow quality at Sun Peaks, which was much lighter and drier than at Whistler where we've been in the past. Nice selection of runs - we particularly enjoyed the moguls - although nothing to rival Whistler's steep couloirs. Plenty of accessible intermediate runs through the trees. The village is small but cheerful, modelled after a European ski resort town.

• Quality of the snow
• "Ski-through" village model means most pistes are easy to access from the village
• Few crowds mean better snow for everyone!

• We accidentally ended up at the bottom of a run with no lift and had to trek half an hour back to the village

We've stayed in hotels in all the villages (except Canillo). Two of them stand out: Soldeu and El Tarter, because they're located in an area with more trees and are more pleasant in bad weather. Soldeu especially has a very welcoming atmosphere and we preferred it here.

• Cheap ski holiday compared to other countries, especially if you book a package

• Further, but easy to reach from the airport

Very sunny. Nice atmosphere in the village and everyone spoke English.

• We went in the early season and there was lots of snow. The pistes were well maintained

• Dog poop everywhere despite there being baggies available

Very sunny. Nice atmosphere in the village, friendly locals and everybody spoke English.

• Lots of snow in the early season and the slopes were well maintained

• There was dog poop everywhere, despite there being baggies available

Chilling on the top of the mountain with some cool beats! They prepare the slopes every night so every morning the slopes are perfect to carve down with some speed! A lot of Entertainment, like measuring the time and how fast you were going. And all included in our ticket. And partying in the apres ski was even more fun! Kind people :)

• Easy accessible with the train

Good variety of runs, nice ski area, no queues for lifts and nice valley runs! Engelberg is a lovely little town

• Reliable snow conditions
• Variety of slopes

• Lift to blue slopes is too slow

Best ski resort in Europe for advanced/expert skiers. Incredible off-piste terrain. Even Val Thorens, my #2 ski resort, has nothing on this. Nice town with good après-ski bars.

• Everything

• Expensive

Spent a lovely weekend here once we got past the slow process of hiring equipment. Spectacular views from the top; I ]imagine it would be worth going here as a non-skier just to ride up on the gondola. Tows quite fast for the most part, surprisingly challenging terrain and freeriding options. Wouldn't compare to the Alps but it might be the closest thing this side of the Channel.

• Snow Goose mountain restaurant
• Helpful staff

What a charming, cosy town! Loads of restaurants and shops, with a beautiful church and après-ski options for those who are interested; we really enjoyed strolling through the village in the evenings and seeing everything covered in snow! We skied on the pistes around Zell as well as some of the glacier pistes - weren't huge fans of the lift up to the top, but other than that, a great ski area and we'll definitely be back!

• The village with its restaurants, shops and après-ski bars
• Lots of choices of pistes

A bit dear compared with other Scottish resorts but well worth a trip when the conditions are right. We reserved our equipment online and picked it up when we arrived to minimise queueing. Lovely views and lovely people.

• Stunning setting

• Expensive, queues

We visited Sölden twice this season, once in January and then in spring. We particularly enjoyed the high alpine area, which had well-groomed pistes but also some deep powder and ski touring possibilities. All in all a terrific spot, and the staff and locals are really friendly and accommodating. This will remain one of my favourite ski resorts. Superb!

• A ski resort with something for everybody

• None that I know of

After three years in a row we're still discovering new off-piste terrain! Good snow park as well.

• The snow park
• Not too many button lifts
• Big ski area
• Off-piste possibilities
• Good on-mountain restaurants

• Some pistes were closed because of too much snow but otherwise the day was perfect

Spent the weekend here with a group of friends and absolutely loved it! We were lucky enough to have bluebird weather on both days and the snow was incredible; loads of people were taking advantage of the off-piste lines through virgin powder. We had beginners in our group who found no shortage of easy terrain easily accessible from the village. The rest of us skied from El Tarter over to Pas de la Casa and back again - only takes about an hour, and you have a wonderful choice of groomed and ungroomed pistes on the way. Gorgeous views to rival the Alps! Après-ski in this end of Grandvalira is limited but we were happy enough to enjoy a few drinks in the outdoor bar at the bottom of the slopes.

• Great variety of terrain and good for mixed-ability groups
• Modern facilities - hardly any button lifts
• Amazing snow!!!
• Easy access to rest of Grandvalira including Soldeu and Pas de la Casa

• The snowboarders in our group had a bit of trouble with all the flat bits
• Ugly, ugly buildings - but who cares?

Stunningly beautiful unspoilt skiing. Minimal or no queuing. Very good value ski pass and ski hire. Austria over France any day for skiing ... don't tell everyone - we like the less touristy and less spoilt places ! You have a lot of choice in the area - an hour from Murau is Turracher Höhe - if it's good enough for Tom Cruise it's good enough for me! They held the Snowboarding championships on Kreischberg. Over 135 snow cannons on the mountain - guaranteed skiing!

• Not full of shopping boutiques

Amazing and lively. Zermatt is a great resort. All the runs are brilliant and the view of the Matterhorn will blow you away. There is always a lot of snow and not many people.

• Great view of the Matterhorn at all times and not many people

• Very expensive

Been to many resorts but Val di Fassa is still one of my favourites. You can set off every day and go somewhere different. There's enough to keep everyone happy. I still intend to bang the Sella Ronda circuit out twice in one day.......:)

• Everything

• None

Flims/Laax/Falera is a medium-sized glacier ski area that offers something for every skier and snowboarder. It's spacious, with nicely groomed slopes, and the snowboarders mostly keep off the ski pistes since there are 4 snow parks for freestylers. I don't know any other ski area that offers such great facilities for snowboarding. The ski area always seems to be sunny, no matter when you go. If you haven't been to this ski area yet, come check it out! You won't be disappointed.

• Great value for the price
• Glacier has guaranteed snow

The pistes at L'Alpe d'Huez are fantastic; we particularly enjoyed La Sarenne.

• Well-groomed pistes

• Nothing

In a word: amazing! The Ischgl ski area is almost all higher than 2000m, making the slopes always perfect. There are wonderful day trips for skiers in both Austria and Switzerland. The lifts in the Silvretta Arena are modern, fast and comfortable. The only thing missing was cosy mountain huts; most of them are large and trendy. But there is good après-ski in the Kuhstall or the Trofana Alm in the Ischgl valley.

• Modern lifts
• Fantastic pistes
• Lively village centre
• High altitude, so guaranteed snow

• Not very many cosy mountain huts on the slopes
• Not exactly a budget destination...

Superb ski resort with modern facilities. There is always loads of snow so we are never disappointed.

• The kids loved the nursery at the ESF Montana, at the bottom of the pistes

• Mountain restaurants are a bit dear

St. Anton is beloved by many skiers, and the connections to pistes at Lech, Zürs and other neighbouring villages make this the perfect ski resort. The bus shuttles are very organized, slopes are well-groomed and there is a good variety of slopes and modern lifts. The one caveat is the extremely expensive prices for kids' ski lessons - more comparable to prices we will probably be seeing in 2020.

• Versatility of the slopes

• Expensive ski schools

Sölden is a lively ski area with many slopes above 1800m. The pistes are well-groomed and snow is guaranteed thanks to the snow cannons. Queues are bearable even on bank holidays, and there are plenty of places to stop and relax and enjoy the view. When I was there, the conditions were perfect, with pleasant temperatures and great snow. All in all, we had a lot of fun and I would definitely recommend this ski resort.

I've been going to Gerlos since I was eight years old and learned to ski there. Our annual family holiday there is the highlight of my year. Prices have gone up in the last few years and the ski pass is more and more expensive, but I suppose this is fair given the many renovations and improvements. There are also many options for non-skiers, such as hiking trails and tobogganing.

• Pistes
• Cuisine
• Ski rentals

• Price
• Shopping

The car park and lift facilities are clearly marked and the cash desk, toilet and entrance are easily reached on foot from the car park. We visited in November and were greeted by sunny weather and calm conditions at the top of the glacier. From the lookout point on the highest glacier in Tyrol, you have a wonderful view of the surroundings. The gondolas and chairlifts are very modern. There is also an extra practice slope for children and beginners, within easy reach for people who are not yet confident on their skis. There are also blue and black slopes, so there is something for everyone. Before our après-ski session we checked out the snow park, where we spent a while on the boxes and rails as well as the fun slope down the left side. This was the highlight of our day! :) The après-ski in the umbrella pub at the mountain station was very crowded and we had to wait a while for our drinks, but it was worth it for the delicious mulled wine. We would definitely come back to the Pitztal Glacier!

• The snow park is great for kids and adults alike

• There could be more information provided about gondola departure times

Simply unique...

• 500km of linked pistes
• Beautiful panoramic views
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Wonderful ski area, hardly any crowds

• Not crowded
• Guaranteed snow
• Large ski area

La Chapelle is a fantastic family ski resort. It's well-connected as part of the Portes du Soleil so the expert skier in the family can easily find more challenging runs. It's still a working village so most food is locally sourced by the restaurants and the general quality is high. Has great cross country skiing through the village as well.

• Family-friendly
• Good restaurants
• Well-connected with other resorts

• La Chapelle resort itself is intermediate skiing
• Quiet nightlife

Best ski resort ever! Val Thorens has a cosy, welcoming atmosphere. The après-ski scene is not as crazy as in Austria but rather nicer, and none of the carnival music.

• Friendly people
• Lovely nature
• Nice ambience

• Hmm... the cold?

We spent a lovely day at Stubai Glacier. The ski area is ideal for families with children, with several steep slopes and several beginner slopes in the Gamsgarten area. Overall, the ski resort has beautiful wide slopes, is very snow-sure and has wonderful views. There is no other ski resort in Austria where you can ski on five glaciers, and this makes for a long ski season, as you can ski in spring or autumn as well.

After a stormy and snowy day yesterday, we had bluebird skies today, albeit with a few slight rough patches. The only catch on this beautiful ski day was the 20-min wait for the gondola up the Rettenbach glacier; the Tiefenbach glacier side was very crowded. Normally people are better at spreading out at a ski resort! But I was in a good mood no matter what. A shout-out to the Ötztal transit company, who rose to the occasion in providing enough buses to carry all the skiers.

Located at the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix is a small, authentic mountain village with a warm and lively atmosphere. There is a free shuttle that takes you from the village to the ski areas, making it easy to visit a different ski area each day. Chamonix is easy to reach by a combination of plane and train.

• Fantastic view at the foot of Mont Blanc
• Lively and welcoming ambience, lots of cafes
• Multiple ski areas, each one with its own unique style
• Ski areas are accessible by free shuttle that runs from the village

• No direct access to the slopes

I've been coming here for several years and am always happy. Loads of nice, easy slopes (if you're a more advanced skier I can imagine it might get a bit dull). The area is wonderful.

• Easy slopes

Loved Wengen when private cars were not allowed on the streets. Have visited Wengen 5 times in the past 25 years. This time we saw cars parked in front of homes and business, and saw vans spewing exhausts as they passed by. Perhaps Wengen would require that all motor vehicles to be electric and kept out of site when parked on the main streets?

• Scenery, Quiet, rural, mountain views, hiking, skiing.

• Combustion engines are allowed in pristine green Wengen

Orelle is more of a base than a resort. There is one large apartment complex with a swimming pool, spa and restaurant plus some smaller ones and gites spread through the various hamlets but that is about it. However, for easy access, both in terms of driving there and for the slopes it is ideal. Not only can you match the time from Val Thorens to the upper slopes you can visit all the other resorts in the Maurienne valley very easily (at a much lower cost than the 3Vs). A snowy day in VT can be bleak, in La Norma in the trees it can be fun and half price.

• Accessibility to 1500km of skiing and no long trek up the mountains with snow chains

• Not for beginners and apres ski (just buy the beers and a box of red wine and solve the world's problems!)

What a great time we had in Flaine! Tons of snow, fantastic live music at night, practical resort (supermarket, shops, restaurants, bars, hotels, appartements, and so on..) all at walking distance. The architecture is not what you would expect from cozy and traditional ski resort. The buildings are from the Bauhaus period, so big blocks of concrete are what you'll see. However, the practicality of the resort combined with the amazing skiing opportunities and après ski activities are worth your visit at Flaine for your next ski holidays!

• Great ski area
• Very practical resort, everything accessible by foot
• Perfect for families

Pretty Village with top class accommodation fantastic ski school perfectly groomed slopes great off piste nice lunch stops and plenty of them. Links to other resprts in the Arlberg area reasonable price lift pass compared to France

• All of the above

• Not so many ski in ski out accommodations

Fantastic Snow and Sun with ocean view!

• Well groomed

• none

Amazing landscape, lots of sun and well groomed slopes. Overall the price/facilities ratio is great!

• Clean and reliable ski area

• Few parking spots

La Tania is far from the backwater ski resort that is the first impression. The Skiing is fantastic located so skiing to Courcheval ,Meribel and Val Thorens could not be easier. Ski hire is also available. My family and I have used Ski Wave for years and their selection of equipment is top end.

• Skiing for all abilities, excellent restaurants and bars. Toms snow report.

• Relatively quiet for the all night ravers, early morning queue for the lift.

BEEN GOING BACK HERE FOR LAST 10 YEARS Great that they put so much back into the resort every year with up to date fast lift system, groomed pistes and the best Apres ski both on and off the mountain.

• wide open runs
• great choice of mountain restaurants
• Awesome après ski

I've been this year for the third time to Les Portes du Soleil, and this time we stayed in Morzine. The ski area is without doubts one of the best in Europe (in my opinion the best). The area is huge, I stayed for three weeks in Portes du Soleil this year and haven't even had time to explore all slopes. There are many fun parks and good off-piste opportunities. The atmosphere in the village is really fun and you have many après-ski possibilities. If you are looking for a ski area with lots of different options, Les Portes du Soleil is definitively one of the best options.

• Awesome ski area
• Great village

Seefeld is a beautiful ski resort with something for everyone. We have been going there for a few years now and still coming back!

• Beautiful center with lots of food options, great resort for beginners and a warm atmosphere

• Everything is great! Nothing to report

This ski resort is pretty small and was a bit too calm for us. Also, a quite long ride is needed to reach the ski resort by bus or car. However, for anyone looking for a calm and quiet ski resort, this is the perfect spot!

Gerlos is an amazing ski resort, probably hard to find better! The village has a real mountain atmosphere, people don't speak much english but it's fun to get your way around as they are really friendly. The ski area is great, there are good slopes for beginners but also great off pistes and black slopes. It's an all around ski resort perfect to go with a group of people with different levels.

• Great ski area, amazing and challenging slopes

Nice and quiet ski resort, beautiful landscape with a lake in the middle surrounded by slopes. Great resort for families and to learn to ski !

• Good slopes, nice landscape
• Quiet resort, perfect for relaxing holidays with young children

Nauders is a hotel/apartment village with a lovely atmosphere. Most of the buildings are built in chalet style which gives it a great mountain feeling. Plus, the ski area is easily accessible from the village.

• Easy access to the ski area
• Not so expensive

• No Apres ski, but we enjoyed the calm atmosphere of the ski resort

I've been to Champery a couple of times already and I don't want to go to any other resort. The ski area linked to Champery is huge, I usually go for a week at a time and I hardly ski the same run twice. The cool thing about this ski area is that you can get a ski pass for the ski area in Switzerland or a ski pass for the ski area in France, Les Portes du Soleil. Usually the snow is better on the French side as it is a bit higer in altitude.

• Access to a huge ski area
• Great snow
• Quiet village

• Quiet night life, not a problem for me but might be for others, in this case, you can go to Val Thorens!

Most of the slopes back down to the village are red or black, as a beginner that's not ideal so I had to take the cable down. Even the one blue slope going down end with a very steep redish type wall... Overall it's a great resort, the glacier is absolutely to do! And the slopes are great if you are not a beginner!

• Good austrian atmosphere

• Difficule slopes to go back down to the village

Mayrhofen is a super nice place with great accommodations, shopping, restaurants and bars. The highlight of this area is the new Penkenbahn Gondola lift. It goes like in a spaceship and there is Wi-Fi. Everyone can find it's way on the slopes, doesn't matter the level. Mayrhofen has been for us absolutely lovely. Too bad the parking costs at the resort entrance are very high as it is usually free at other ski resorts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cztsC3LgqI

• New Gondola lift
• Apres ski
• Shopping

• Parking costs

We went there with Skikot, a famous travel brand in Belgium who was really good for the organization. We had a small (perhaps too small) room for 4 pers. at the foot of the slopes and the ski lift. Hopefully we had all stay long a wonderful sunshine, which is really nice for the après-ski at the Folie douce! The resort was also good for the nightlife with a large amount of bars, restaurants,... The ski area is available to any ski level, from the beginners to the pros. It's really good if you go there with friends who's got differents skiing levels. I recommend it to everyone.

• The weather, ski arena, after-ski session

• expensive price, crowded

Good restaurants, great Apres-ski, Arlberg Wellness center ... St Anton has it all. But since the last 15 years, the atmosphere has become more and more luxurious with less Apres-ski bars. The new lifts Rendl and Galzig are amazing! For a little trip, a day trip (via Stuben) to Lech is a must. Beginners should stay in the valley if they have some guts, they can go anywhere in Arlberg. The only blue slope going back to the valley is often closed so then the only option is the black slope Kandahar.. no kidding there!

• Endless possibilities in terms of slopes and off-piste

• Preparation of the slopes could be better

It is a really great ski area with plenty of slopes and good Austrian food. You can ski the whole week, and it still feels like you haven't seen everything. I can recommend the Rubezahl mountain hut - very cozy and tasty. Also the prices at Wilder Kaiser are fair. It is not that expensive...

• Good food
• large ski area
• long slopes
• Prices ok

• Sometimes a bit growded

Hinterglemm is a great base for exploring the entire ski area. The most challenging slopes can be found in Zwölferkogel and Schattberg. If you are a beginner, you should go to the other side of the valley, for example,Hochalm offers good beginners possibilities. The blue slope to Leogang is quite nice and quiet even during the holidays. On the slopes, you can find many restaurants and the nice thing is that they are not self-service. The food is great and the staff is very friendly. The connection to Fieberbrunn is pretty fun, but the slope is quite difficult as the snow is often mushy or icy. It is not a red one, but pretty much a black one so not adapted to beginners. There are, however, a few downsides to the area. It is not high in altitude so the snow is often slushy. Besides, there are ski buses, but they do not stop at all lifts and walking from one side of the valley to the other side takes some time and is no fun with the ski boots. At last, the ski area is huge and you can enjoy nice trips, but if you like skiing off-piste, you'd better look for another area. The best off-piste opportunities are in Fieberbrunn.

• Large area, fine restaurants, ski slopes for beginners and advanced.

• Low altitude, snow in the villages not so good.

We go snowboarding in Rusbach with young children, and it is perfect for them to learn to ski. The kids have been at the ski school for a few years and it has always been very nicely organised. I don't recommend the ski school for a snowboard course, there are not enough classes scheduled for beginners...

I've been going there for as long as I can remember, it's amazing to see the changes of the village and the region, adapting to the modern needs of winter sports enthusiasts. The village has a friendly and festive atmosphere, you'll find your way around for sure! The people are friendly, the ski school and restaurants are great. The ski area offers amazing slopes possibilities.

• Family friendly
• Great amount of slopes possibilities
• Something for everyone

• Busy at the lifts
• Not so much entertainment for non skiers without kids

Even after the 15th time visiting Val Thorens, we are still amazed by the skiing possibilities offered by this ski resort. The slopes are lovely for both beginners and more advanced skiers. It's only a pity the prices on the slopes for food and drinks are so high.

• Great slopes

• Expensive food and drinks on the pistes

Lots of Apres-Ski bars and many slopes accessible for all age from blue to black.

We go for years with a group of friends to Westendorf and it is just great! The ski area is huge, the snow is usually amazing (unless it's hot, then it becomes mushy obviously) and runs are long. Après-ski is super cozy in the Moskito !!! We've been to other places but we haven't found a better place than Westendorf yet!

• Huge ski area
• Large and fast ski lifts
• Long slopes

• Sometimes mushy snow

A fabulous resort, quiet open pistes and a very pleasant traditional feel. Very friendly people too.

Mayrhofen is a super nice place with great accommodations, shopping, restaurants and bars. The highlight of this area is the new Penkenbahn Gondola lift. It goes like in a spaceship and there is Wi-Fi. Everyone can find it's way on the slopes, doesn't matter the level. Mayrhofen has been for us absolutely lovely. Too bad the parking costs at the resort entrance are very high as it is usually free at other ski resorts.

• New Gondola lift called Penkenbahn
• Beautiful slopes
• Harakriiiiiii

• Expensive parking fees

Our first experience in an Austrian ski resort was amazing! The ski area itself is diverse with great connections to the areas around, even to the famous Kitzbühel. The Austrian food is a must try and the prices are very reasonable. People are extremely friendly and the apres ski is unforgettable, a must do!

• Great slopes
• Friendly people
• Affordable
• Great apres ski

• I can't seem to find any

Just an amazing resort for a mixed group including total beginners and black run skiers and snowboarders. Les Trois Vallées is a very large ski area offering many possibilities. The snow is unbelievable. As the resort is located high in altitude, even late in the season, we always had great snow. Most of all, the views from the top of the area are breathtaking.

• The quality of the snow
• Facilities are modern and can cope the flow of people even on busy days
• Never ending slopes possibilities
• Great atmosphere

• Is there any?

Nursery slopes were short and had a natural negative angle which made it very hard for first timers . Also VERY busy with school children , hundreds of them ! Couldn't move in an already difficult slope .

• Advised to go to solden which was a little further to go but much much better

• Very poor for beginners , can't comment on advanced skiers

It's just a SUPER nice area, especially Hinterglemm

• Hotel on the slopes
• Great apres ski possibilities

You will not be disappointed with Seefeld. We found our winter destination for years to come. Our (young) children felt completely at home in the village and on the easy slopes. We are not too demanding skiers but we enjoyed the higher slopes of Seefeld in particular. We appreciated the easy access to the resort as well as the many off-piste challenges!

• Easily accessible
• Family friendly
• Many possibilities

• Pricey
• Sometimes very busy

Canazei is just the best way to visit the Dolomiti. Our hotel was amazing and the food absolutely stunning, walking distance to the lifts. Our skiguide for a week was absolutely great, without him we could get lost every run. We have been visiting every day a different area and he was great finding the best spot for lunch. I took some incredible pictures. If you have chance look for that guide (i can't remember the name, similar to the Pope) online, we found him online dolomitiskitour.com And remember to do apreski at Paradis or Cliff bar hahahah they are crazy !!!!

• the immensity of the skiruns, never ending
• cheap lift pass
• 1200 km of runs with 470lifts connected
• many different daily skitours

• not enough party at night
• in Christmas time there is tooooo many people

Not too much to do down in the village but once you go up the mountain then the skiing is great. Ski school worked well for our children and they went from non-skiers to competent thrill seekers in a week.

• Good spread of slopes over the mountains

• A little limited in the village but friendly

Les Orres is a great ski resort for snowboarding. The snowpark in particular is great! The apres ski possibles are nice but limited. Overall, a great ski resort and very good slopes even for snowboarders (not too many flat slopes)

This ski resort is very different from others I've been to. There are no hotels and apartment door to door, but an authentic sport class mountain village with a cosy atmosphere. The ski area is exceptional, long slopes, a lot of sun, great ski tours and gastronomy cuisine on the slopes.

• The Matterhorn and many other 4000 meter peaks, variety, complete ski holiday

• Sometimes windy at the Italian border

I've been going to Val Thorens for the past 2 years with a group of friends and we just want to go back again. Great nightlife, incredible skiing possibilities, cosy accomodations, a bit pricey but totally worth it!

• Extensive skiing possibilities

• Pricey

Amazing slopes, great nightlife and excellent accommodation. A bit pricey but worth it! We stayed here in February 2015. We are three male friends, experienced skiers, and it was great to finally find somewhere with some challenging slopes.

• Nightlife
• Challenging slopes

Another super ski holiday in La Tania this winter. Great conditions just the week we were there!! The Snow Dance paid off. All runs and lifts were open so we ventured a long way every day. The long blue run back down to resort is really super and a blessing for tired legs. We didnt bother getting the 3 valley pass as there's plenty to keep us intermediate/advanced skiers busy. Pleasant resort with skiing to your doorstep but of course as its part of the 3 valleys they think they can charge the same prices as courchevel!! Shop around to find the "cheaper" places! We'll keep coming back. All in all, an amazing week's skiing, thanks.

• Ski to your door
• Gentle return run to the resort

• expensive restaurants

La Rosiere is small, cozy and perfect for families. No big nightlife scene. In January there was no-one there and we never queued for lifts and the slopes were empty. The off-piste is just wonderful especially between the Plan du Repos and Fort chair lifts.

We went to Les 2 Alpes just after the French ski holiday rush with our young son and a group of skiing friends with their young kids. We chose to treat ourselves and stayed in the Club Med - no we're not rich! All in all, when you add everything up and you realise you have NOTHING to organise ALL week - what a treat - it's worth saving a bit harder all year for this kind of service. Super food, great fun activities, the kids all loved it and the mums too! Dads particularly liked the open bar! I fell pregnant after booking the ski holiday so although i was disappointed to not discover the ski area I certainly discovered the extras at the club and in the resort. I spent every morning walking and the rest of the time relaxing. A great sunny week with some fresh snow - my husband even went on an off-piste tour with the guide for our club.

• plenty to do for non-skiers
• super club med
• great for families

Zell am see is a beautiful spot with gentle skiing - perfect for older skiers like us and very good for families with young children! There is just enough for the kids to learn in safe conditions! Apres-ski was quieter than we expected but this suits us just fine. We stayed at Hotel Latini - super hotel!!! With a fantastic, extensive wellness section!! We would definitely stay there again.

• Beautiful skiing, good lifts, good hotel

• very quiet apres-ski, busy during the holidays

I have now been to Wengen 4 times and each year I think about going somewhere different but just can't make the change. This beautiful resort is quiet and free of traffic. There's a nice comfortable train to get up the mountains, so you can enjoy the scenery better. On the slopes there are some nice restaurants and cafes, but the apres-ski is nothing like in Austria, which is not bad thing! In the beautiful ski area there is just about enough for a week's skiing for experience skiers - for beginners it's just paradise for learning to ski. With the backdrop of the Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger, you couldn't ask for much more - perfect ski resort in my mind.

My wife and I went to Les Menuires in February and I have to say the drive was hell! We didnt even realise it was French school holidays and the traffic was just awful - there are so many bottle-necks. So highly advise planning holidays outside the school holidays! We had good weather and a little fresh snow. However,due to high avalanche risk, we couldnt go off-piste which was a shame. Les Menuires is part of the 3 valleys so heaven for experienced skiers but you dont have to buy a 3 valleys pass. We stayed in a self-catered apartment - small but nice- and did food shopping in the valley at the huge hypermarkets there - i'm sure we paid a lot less! Some nice restaurants but high prices there too! The free shuttle buses are great.

We returned from holidays in Feb in La plagne and the conditions were about as good as anyone could ask for this year. Although it's not a record year for snow, most runs was open and the ski conditions were pretty good. La Plagne has made some good improvements over the last few years by installing new lifts and changing some routes to free up the bottle necks. Traffic was much better in general. We had a mixed group of experienced skiers and lower intermediates and we were all able to ski together on the varied slopes and meet up at the bottom. Due to high avalanche risk which is in place over most of the Alps this season, we didnt venture off-piste - although when conditions allow, this is highly recommended. We stayed in Montalbert which is a nice little village connected to the ski area of La Plagne.

I have been skiing in La Clusaz since the early 90s. My children learnt to ski there. The whole family fell in love with La Clusaz and we come back every year. La Clusaz is a friendly, relaxed ski resort with pretty buildings, good choice of restaurants on and off the slopes. Great resort for families as plenty of varied skiing. Slopes are well maintained. Highly recommended.

• Friendly
• families welcome
• skiing for all levels
• pretty resort

• can get busy in school holidays

For both experienced or less experienced skiers, Tignes has skiing for everyone. Walk out your door and immediately you're on the slopes! Few queues at the lifts can handle large capacity. A beautiful and very extensive ski area - miss the trees at this atltitude though! Blue runs are pretty spread out in area so that children and beginners can also get around the ski area and explore. It is a typical French ski resort with high-rise concrete blocks, but the center is pleasant with nice shops, cafes and restaurants.

St. Anton is a super ski resort. Lively pedestrian streets with the best sports shops in Austria. Ski area is particularly suitable for intermediate skiers, I would not recommend going with children and / or beginners. The area is very impressive, what beautiful mountain views. Major drawback (during school holidays): the crowds in the ski resort and the prices (expensive). price

• Cozy resort, good shops
• Large and challenging ski area
• nice atmopshere

• busy
• expensive

Seefeld is a very attractive resort, especially the pedestrianized center. The shops are generally chic and expensive. The bars and restaurants were better than expected in terms of price. Ski areas are good for not too demanding skiers: rather small, and some older lifts here and there which need changing. It's a very nice village for doing something else: cross country skiing, hiking, ice skating, swimming, etc! Seefeld is just super!

• beautiful village
• beautiful surroundings
• nice feel

• downhill skiing bit limited

Everything is just right in Saalbach Hinterglemm: modern ski lifts - super skiing - apres ski just how we like it - great ski area, especially Hinterglemm part Great to be able to ski out and back to our hotel - what a treat for the end of the day.

• super skiing in Hinterglemm
• doorstep skiing

Extensive skiing opportunities, cozy 'village atmosphere', beautiful chalets, lovely surroundings. However, it's getting more expensive each year, but then you have a certain clientelle who can pay so why lower the prices ! Every time it's a real pleasure to be there and to ski in the Espace Killy - awesome skiing. The apres ski is nothing like in Austrian in resorts such as Lech, it's about the same level as in Verbier - not just beer drinking and stomping on tables!

• Extensive ski area which challenges all levels

• Expensive

Outside school holidays this resort is heaven. No waiting at the lifts, and there are plenty of wide slopes and beautiful views and you can often feel alone. Because there are not very many hotels in Obergurgl it never seems to get busy on all slopes. The resort is high enough for guaranteed snow conditions. but not really great for modern apres-ski - they seem to have got stuck in the 80s! Nice village atmosphere and friendly people. Recommended!

• wide pistes
• Snowsure

• Little apres-ski in the village

Livigno is a special ski resort because it is a tax-free zone. As a result there are very many stores selling alcohol and cigarettes and also clothes with some expensive brands. Additionally, you can pay normal prices for a delicious 3 course Italian dinner menu. Next on the yes list is the great snow. The altitude of the village of Livigno makes it very snow-sure. A disadvantage is that it is not easily accessible.

• Guaranteed snow, beautiful slopes.
• Relatively cheap ski resort

• Not easily accessible

Lech to me is one of the best ski resorts in Austria. The center is very cozy and there is plenty of shopping (pity is that it is all quite pricey), but you can see why Lech attracts a certain clientelle. No wild apres-ski, just beautiful terraces and stylish drinking. The skiing is just great. Beautiful wide slopes and you can ski in a relaxed atmosphere..

• Nice buzz
• wonderful skiing

• price

We went for a long weekend to Innsbruck by plane. It's really great to combine skiing with a city visit as there is so much to see and do. We took the morning bus to the ski area had lunch for an hour and then skied back downhill. All very pleasant! Innsbruck is a beautiful city, many beautiful buildings, nice atmosphere and shopping heaven!

• Nice change from a standard ski resort
• City is just right for a weekend stay

• Bit of a trek to get to the slopes

Vorderlanersbach and Lanersbach are two small villages where there is very little atmosphere. Some restaurants and hotels fand a nice quiet atmosphere. For apres-ski there were a few too many places full of Germans. Eggalm and the skiing in Lanersbach is not suitable for beginners - 1 blue run that might as well be red. The connection to Mayrhofen is also very difficult for beginners. Advanced skiers are well catered for though. I prefer Mayrhofen's atmosphere and the immediate connection to the ski area.

The village of Grindlewald itself is beautiful and very cozy! You have a swimming pool, sports centre, many shops and the people are very pleasant and very friendly! You must go out in the evening as it is even more beautiful than it is during the day. Pretty lighting but especially the unique atmosphere of the village makes it so cozy! Public transport is really great. The bus drivers and train drivers are really friendly and helpful. On the train iit gets pretty busy but if you take it at a reasonable hour (around 8.30am-09.00uur) its not so bad. The gondolas can get pretty packed too! Once on the slopes, you can immediately feel the freedom! The view is phenomenal! You hardly ever have to queue for a ski lift. 10min is probably the max. At lunch you have a choice of restaurants on the slopes or you can simply go to the village of Wengen and enjoy lunch in this pretty resort. The restaurants are typical Swiss and therefore very cozy! You can often ski to your door. The gondolas are a bit busier.

• great toboggan runs
• easy public transport

Our skiing holidays in Garmisch-Partenkirchen last winter was a real delight which was unexpected - I say that as we were travelling with our 2 teenagers. Everyone can enjoy themselves here as the ski area is really versatile. There is snow sure skiing with varied slopes for all levels. Our children had a great time and we were not too worried letting them ski alone. We took some walks through the beautiful surroundings at the end of the day while they were still hurtling down the slopes. A very successful ski holiday all round as there is something for everyone in Garmisch-Partenkirchgen

• Snow guaranteed thanks to glacier
• beautiful surroundings
• wonderfully quiet
• good vibe

• None

We stayed a week in February at Le Giffre approx. 250m walk from the Grand Massive gondola express (8 pers.). Once at the top you can ski off and start your day. There are no valley runs back to the valley station though. You always have to go back down with the gondola (which sometimes is a godsend when your legs are jelly at the end of the day!). The ski area has mainly blue and red runs, so suitable for all levels. All villages are connected so that each day you can ski to another resort. What I have noticed is that there are not so many restaurants up on the slopes, so the afternoons it can be very busy in the restaurants. But if you stop for lunch around 11:30/12, then you get the best spot on the terraces and you shouldn't have to queue for lunch. The prices in the restaurants are average French ski resort prices: a plate of fries with sausage, 10 euros for example. The center of Samoens is small but very cozy and it's still an authentic mountain village. During the winter months there is a market every week on Wednesdays where you can wander about quietly. The campsite is fully equipped and also features a heated ski locker. The staff at the camp are very friendly and helpful. In the morning, between 9 and 10 am, very busy on the gondola. In the afternoon, very busy in the restaurants on the slopes.

• Camping right near the gondola lift
• Beautiful skiing to all the nearby villages
• Good lifts

Sölden is always busy it seems. We didnt go at Christmas or half term to avoid the crowds but even though, the slopes were not empty. However, there was hardly any waiting for the liftswhich made a nice change except for the connection between the Gaislachalm and Giggijoch which always gets very congested. The ski area is quite large, but there are a lot of blue and easy red pistes. If you are an advanced skier, you miss the real red and black runs for a challenge. Off-piste skiing is possible, but the options are fairly limited compared to an area like St. Anton. The slopes are well prepared (even the red descent from the top of the Gaislachkogl). The village has many après-ski options with lots of drinking and groups of men on the prowl. These conditions are not particularly suitable for family ski holidays. There are four supermarkets, so buying food is no problem. There are several nice restaurants on the slopes. For 10 Euros extra you can ski one day in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl. Its only a fifteen minute drive and it is highly advisable to go there. Its much quieter and there are some nice black runs. And some nice off-piste skiing too.

We have already seen a lot of resorts but Ischgl is really great. Less suitable for beginners and families with children. Skiing extreme and challenging so good for expert skiers. Blues are more like reds and reds are blacks! Super fast and efficient lifts, ski runs are well maintained and good restaurants up on the slopes. Austrian prices are quiet high but here it wasnt more expensive than average. The accommodation was more expensive but everything in the center is at least 4 stars. We sat in Solaria, top class a real treat! Fantastic food, spacious clean rooms and excellent facilities. Well worth the money! We will definitely come back but not with our small children as it would be a shame to miss out on the all that challenging skiing!

We were in Meribel last week - didnt even realise it was the World Cup and so very surprised to see all the entertainment - music, etc and also we were lucky to actually see Linsey Vonn win! We had some amazing weather but of course if you get sun at this time of the year, you also get poor snow low down! We were skiing on water at the end of the day! High up and towards St Martin the snow was still pretty good. Had a couple of great private lessons with ESF - found some secret spots where no-one goes and also spent an afternoon table dancing at the Folie Douce - well we just had to really!

• Great atmosphere
• super ski area

• too warm!

We just finished a week with the kids in Courchevel - we stayed in 1850. Snow low down in terrible condition and no snow in the village which is a shame as I can imagine how stunning the resort looks when there's snow everywhere - there are some really stunning buildings. Snow up high was very varied - depending on exposure as we had a lot of sun and high temperatures. We didnt even do a 10th of the ski area i don't think - we made it to Meribel where we caught a bit of the World Cup - great atmosphere. Kids had a great time in the respective ski lessons - the teachers were really kind and patient. Tons of stuff to do in the evening - almost too much as its hard to choose - and fit in the budget of course.

• Tons of choice on and off the slopes
• Good choice of restaurants

• snow not great

We've now been for the third time to Davos and I think we'll be back again. The ski areas is pleasant with plenty of choice and enough miles to keep us busy for the week. Public transport is very well organized you can get anywhere with your tourist card ... Each time we've been, the snow has been excellent and the atmosphere is very welcoming.

• Good bus system
• Nice atmosphere

Cortina is located in a beautiful valley with a very special view of the cliffs and peaks of the Dolomites, really stunning! You can feel the faded glory here since the Winter Olympics in 1956 ... The prices are somewhat higher than in other Italian ski resorts and in the village there is a lot to see and you can be seen too if you're wearing your fur coat! Not my case I state! Beautiful ski resort but the three ski areas are not connected to each other, which is not so great as you have to take the bus.

• beautiful surroundings
• Nice atmosphere

• quite expensive
• 3 ski areas not connected by slopes

Having worked one winter season in Chatel i can call myself an expert and even at the end of the season I was still not bored with the area. Really beautiful area but it is true that the ski lifts are old-fashioned compared to other ski areas in France but the skiing itself is really great and the atmosphere is top in Chatel.

• Small but charming village with many restaurants and bars
• Very good and easily accessible off-piste / freeride possibilities
• Lots of opportunities for freestyle enthusiasts
• Incredibly extensive ski area, fun for every level

• There is only one real après ski bar (Crazy Lion)

Chatel is one resort where you never get bored of the ski area. One of the most beautiful areas in france even if the lifts are a bit old and slow. No-one's perfect!

Flaine is a very nice village despite its rather severe appearance, especially for people who like to enjoy a quiet drink without busy apres ski and loud music, like me. The restaurants are good quality and prices are as expected. The ski area was also just perfect for us, the children now overtake us so my husband enjoyed the blue slopes while our son and daughter explored the rest of the ski area.

• Good skiing for beginners and advanced skiers
• Quiet village center

• Not particularly pretty!

Great snowboarding but very expensive resort! Nice to discover the different villages of Courchevel which each have their own character. What is consistent is that they are all quite expensive - Le Praz is the least pricey. The ski area is vast and really beautiful! For apres-skiers there is clearly a great choice of hot spots. La Folie Douce included of course!

Nice and cozy in this snow sports mecca - you don't feel like you're a tourist here as the town is large and not purpose built. Prices can be high especially on the slopes but the beautiful ski runs and off-piste opportunities make up for this. There is plenty to do in the evenings whatever your tastes.

• wonderful slopes

• Occasionally very busy

The Portes du Soleil seems to have infinite slopes, wherever you go! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned skier, you'll find your dream slopes here. For freestylers there are more than enough options, the choice of snow parks is great - Gary our teenage son spent the whole week making friends and freestyling! Also the freeride trails were great too. For beginners, there seem to be plenty of easy slopes, and even though the slopes get pretty busy, you never have to wait long for the super ski lifts. Avoriaz is great, as it is right on the slopes and because all the buildings are wooden the resort exudes a very nice welcoming atmosphere compared to some of the concrete resorts you find in France. Restaurants and hotels are right on the slopes, so you can watch the skiing from your balcony as people go by. The views are amazing as the village is literally built up on top of a mountain cliff edge. Avoriaz is without doubt the best ski resort I have ever been on a skiing holiday to.

• The unique location of the village, magnificent views
• The friendly atmosphere everywhere on and off the slopes
• A car-free village, you can ski through the centre of the village

• None

Excellent ski area with extensive possibilities in particular the off-piste trails are endless. After a day's skiing there is still plenty to do in the resort and the is apres-ski is very lively. Our accommodation was pretty much right on the pistes which was the cherry on the cake - even if I'm sure we paid more than if we had been in a hotel in the centre of Alpe d'Huez.

Mayrhofen is a really pleasant and cozy resort. If you enjoy apres ski in true Austrian style head for the Icebar and Bruck'nstadl which are both very nice. In the long main street there are many expensive shops - nice for window shopping! The skiing is great! Especially if you take the gondola 150Tux, where there are beautiful runs at high altitude and good snow. Ahorn area is small but has with a super, long black downhill run: highly recommended for those looking for an adrenalin hit!

• Really pretty, cozy village
• nice shops

• too many Russians

We went this season the week before Christmas 2014 to Val Thorens. We usually go to Austria, but there was not much snow. Val Thorens had just enough to make most runs stay open although connections to other valleys were not open! Thus we only skied in the area of ​​Val Thorens which was really lovely, in particular the descent to Orelle which I highly recommended. Of course it was busy because everyone was compressed into a small area but even so, we didnt wait very long and the slopes were good in spite of the circumstances. The apres ski seemed very cozy - not too many drunken crowds at night. The restaurants were good but lacking atmosphere after Austria - where it's a bit more fun. Supermarkets were surprisingly not too expensive. What we really enjoyed were the ski runs through the village. The ski lessons were from 9 to 12, so we managed a few hours of skiing together. The apartments are all very small but apparently this is common in France. I will definitely go again when the kids are older and we'll take a 3 valley ski pass for the whole area. Then we can make really long day trips to the other resorts!

As we have a flat near Zell and so are regular visitors. Zell am See is a great place to visit all year round. Sometimes the snow can be a bit snow iffy in Zell but you can jump on the bus to Kaprun where the skiing on the glacier is great whatever the conditions! In fact there are plenty of great ski areas within easy reach if you dont mind a bit of driving - in stunning scenery!

• Super in the summer too!

• Snow can be a bit lacking

The skiing in Wengen is mainly for intermediate skiers but you can find more challenging slopes on the Murren side of the valley. The Jungfrau Ski Pass covers Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald so worth paying the extra to have more choice. Super fast cable car right in the centre which takes you up to the top in only 6 minutes to a large plateau with some nice gentle skiing and great views. The resort is lovely and so clean -n in true Swiss style - not sure there are any dogs here - in any case no evidence of them anyway!

Verbier is the best if the snow is good, with some excellent off-piste routes. However, for advanced skiers, there are not many challenges. It seems the perfect ski resort for beginners and intermediates - although none in our group! Verbier is an international resort so be prepared to push and shove with the Germans to get where you want to go! A couple of times older guys had a go at my kids for slipping through gaps in the lift queues - one even grabbed my 8 year old daughter by her hood and pulled her back! Nearly got in a fight but managed to keep my calm! French resorts may have a reputation for rude staff but at least there are mainly French and English people on the slopes!!! Just a bad one-off experience I'm sure! Very pretty place to be and overall a fun feeling here on and off the slopes.

Don't go to Tignes if you like pretty little mountain villages - it's ugly, full of concrete blocks and purpose built infrastructure - not really its fault as the old village was destroyed! Do go to Tignes if you like skiing and doing lots of it! Linked to Val d'isere, this immense ski area just seems to go on and on and then if you go off-piste too it seems like you're skiing across the whole Alps! If you're an intermediate skier and are not keen on icy blacks then plan your routes carefully - a couple of times we found ourselves up top with only black runs as a choice to get down!

• Super skiing
• Super snow
• Super off-piste

• Not very pretty
• No tree skiing due to high altitude

For off-piste and free-skiing, Corvatsch, about 2 miles down the valley from St.Moritz towards Italy is the best spot. Skiing in st moritz itself is good but can be a lot of wind whihc means lots of lifts get shut! Not great! For "one of the best ski resorts in the world", as an experienced skier i can't really say I agree - St moritz has a lot going for it but there are plenty of other ski resorts that i would class higher than this one. All the rich women flouncing about fiddling with fur ski hats and cashmere gloves got on my nerves a bit! I wanted to give them a kick up the behind to get them moving out of my way! I'm sure I even saw a poodle in a fur jacket on the slopes!

We went to St anton in January 14 and the snow was pretty bad! The slopes were well maintained though and we didnt really suffer too much. on the thursday, we had a reasonable dump of powder and we hired a guide to venture off-piste. Apparently the ski touring is excellent here. It seems there were not many kids or beginners around - maybe they go elsewhere! The village itself is pretty and nice to wander around. Plenty of stuff to do at the end of the day - nice apres ski atmosphere with some lively bars but also cozy friendly ones too. A lot of people say St Anton is expensive but we didnt notice a big difference with other austrian resorts...

• good off-piste guides
• nice atmosphere
• reasonable prices for austria

We stayed at the Ferienhotel Kaltschmid in Seefeld - very central for amenities such as ski shop, bus and everything else in the village centre. The hotel food and facilities were excellent - we would definitely come back and stay here again. Super ski school - the instructors are so friendly and patient - with our wobbly 40 and 50 year old legs, they had a big challenge! Apparently the cross-country skiing is great here too - we chatted to lots of people who said the paths go on for ever! maybe we'll convert so no more wobbly legs! The kids loved Seefeld as its so small and friendly - they are 12 and 9 and we were quite happy letting them have a bit of freedom to pop off to the shops or do a bit of sledding... relaxing for everyone!!

• Small and friendly
• great ski teachers

• ski area could be small for good skiers

The skiing is great in Saas Fee with super challenging off-piste that's best done with a guide. Great place for family skiing as plenty of nice blues and reds. The nicest thing about skiing in Saas Fee is there are almost no queues at ski lifts! High altitudes mean great snow and the views will knock your socks off! Plenty to do in the evening - nice choice of bars and restaurants but all a bit pricey! choose your accommodation carefully or you might find yourself with a bit of a schlep in teh morning to get to the lifts!

• good family skiing
• great snow
• no queues

• bit expensive but Swiss!

We go back every year to Saalbach on our company trip (12 of us) and it it just seems to get better every year! We're all good skiers so we don't care about sunbathing on terraces - we just want good skiing and that's what you get here. Plenty of snow, super lift system and we rarely see a queue at the lifts. Have to say the mountain restaurants are great with traditional hearty Austrian food and friendly staff. We always get involved in a bit of apres-ski (as you have to when on a company ski trip!!) and in Saalbach there's a good choice of bars in particular the Goat Bar at the end of the run into Hinterglem. Each year we talk about choosing another resort but once we've done the rounds of what's on offer, we always end up choosing Saalbach! NO need to go elsewhere!

• Great intermediate skiing
• Super atmosphere
• Decent apres-ski

We stayed at Praz-sur-Arly (to save on accommodation costs) about 3 miles Megeve with its own ski area, part of the Espace Diamant. We found these great picnic rooms where you leave your bag with lunch in the morning and, amazingly, it is still there at lunchtime! Great way of saving money - baguette, paté and salad is our fave sarnie! Treated ourselves to a few evenings out in Megeve - the restaurants are very varied so don't be put off by the really expensive ones - you can find pizza at very reasonable prices (for France)! Enjoy Megeve but keep it a secret.

I went with a group of girlfriends to Mayrhofen last winter and had an absolutely wild time. We're all snowboarders and we like to party. Excellent boarding around the VANS park and then some early apres at the Ice Bar - great place with awesome atmosphere. Can't really find anything wrong with Mayrhofen except maybe the prices - quite high!

Shop till you drop in Livigno - everything is so mcuh cheaper. You can go helisking here - if you have enough pocket money left! Apparently the deep powder snow is outof this world! On the Mottolino there is a huge snow park - where you can stand and watch the crazy young crowd doing their thing! SHouldnt push it i know but you have to try the beer here at the highest brewery in Europe. It can get pretty cold here - hence the nickname little Tibet! Be prepared!

• Great shopping
• great off-piste skiing
• super snow conditions

• Cold!

We are going back to Les Menuires again in the school hols after a fantastic ski holiday there last year. We stayed in the Belhambra Neige et Ciel residence - great for families and pretty good food. The ski lifts in Les Menuires are very efficient - shorter queues than elsewhere in the 3 valleys - ski lifts expensive of course but when you see what you get for your money, it's not surprising!

Super cross-country skiing, friendly people and stunning scenery - we go back every year and never regret it for a minute!

Wengen is one of the nicest ski resorts in Switzerland. Such pretty views - seems to always be sunny and looking down over the clouds in the valley (just like the photo on your main page). The village is small enough to be cosy and friendly - there are plenty of apres ski pubs, and the locals are extremely friendly and helpful. A couple of times we needed help with things and we had no problem finding help. Really nice change from French resorts.

• Always sunny
• friendly people

Skiing in Verbier is unbeatable - really challenging wiht some of the best off-piste skiing in the Alps. We were lucky - mid jan - to have deep fresh powder I would recommend trying the Bruson area where the off-piste is safe and just out of this world. I was with my wife who skis pretty well too and we would be recommend Verbier to hard skiers who like to feel the burn - not great for beginners - although I admit we didnt go anywhere near the nursery slopes!! Verbier has some really nice après ski bars too but nothing is cheap.

• Off-piste

• Not cheap!

St. Moritz is chic and frou frou - i mean fussy and posh! Good skiing in the Corviglia area for beginners, intermediate skiiers in the Corviglia and Corvatsch areas and experts the Diavolezza and the Lagalb. Really nice place to be if you area a non-skier - we went with another couple who, since booking 6 months ago, have fallen pregnant! The laden lady said she didnt get bored at all and really enjoyed walking and watching various events that took place around town. Restaruants are excellent but we had to resort to pizza a couple of nights or we would have blown our budget in 2 nights - very expensive food and drink - on the slopes too.

• lots going on in town
• varied skiing

• Expensive and bit too posh for my liking!

St Anton is just the best ski resort for some real apres action. Was there with a bunch of mates and spent most of our afternoons in either hte Krazy Kangaroo or Mooserwert (sp?) and not sure i have ever witnessed such enthusiastic partying! The noise of music and ski boots clomping on wooden tables (as most people are dancing on them) is deafening but makes for a great atmosphere. OH and BTW the skiing is pretty good too! Can't really give any names of the runs but would def go back again. Beats any French resort in my mind!

• Apres ski
• Apres ski
• oh and great skiing

I have just read the other review on this page - we are not strange at all - people that do that 'walking skiing'! Cross country skiing is great exercise and you get away from all that queuing and noisy ski lift hustle and bustle - the only noise is the sound of your breathing, your skis on the snow, nature and your ski partners (if you have a chatty wife like me) ! I do agree that Seefeld is the perfect place for a weekend ski trip - in particular cross country skiing as this the main activity here - the transfer is so short! Very stunning setting - each time we come back feeling like new people!

• Stunning setting
• Great cross country trails

• Too many downhill skiers
• )

Saas Fee is a great, high altitude ski resort. The piste map and categories are a bit misleading. Many of the runs seemed to be under-rated - ie blues should have been reds, reds should have been black and the black should have been reds! Although everyone in our mixed level group had a great week, everyone had a little moan about this - the beginners had a hard time on the return to the resort as the blues are tricky and narrow. I'd advice taking the cable car back at the end of the day when legs are tired! There seemed to be lots of nice blue runs low down around the village so maybe best for beginners to hang out there. The intermediates (me included) would advise to beware of the red runs from Plattjen and Spielboden which are quite steep and should probably be black! The village itself is just lovely - we must have taken a thousand photos! Great weather and great snow - hope you have the same :)

• Very attractive resort

• Pistes not rated correctly
• Expensive food and drink

Having skied many French, Italian and Swiss resorts over the years, we absolutely loved Saalbach. The skiing in the Ski circus is so varied that everyone in our group had a super ski holiday and we able to meet up easily at one of the great mountain restaurants at lunch. Really lively apres-ski - dancing on tables, drinking pints and skiing afterwards! We were very careful and only had a couple - not like many of the younger crowd! i guess you only live once!

I take that back - the ski lifts have been renovated or replaced - thankfully! We first came here with our young kids back in the 70s - yes ok!! Now they are grown up and take their own kids skiing in France! We came back to Obergurgl recently and found that nothing has changed, even the hotels are still run by the same people - some of the staff even rememebered us !! The prices seem reasonable compared to what my kids report back from skiing in France and the warm welcome, good food and nice, gentle skiing was a delight! We had a super sunny week after heavy snowfalls the previous week - just perfect - only thing that was missing was the family! Have to persuade them to come with us next year.

• Friendly, traditional, REAL
• Some great tree skiing

• Not enough challenging skiing for experts

Morzine is one of my favourite ski resorts. Some of the best skiing and snowboarding can be foud here - great choice from the 8 snow parks in the Portes du soleil. Star wars, Prolays and the Stash are the best. This seems the ideal ski resort for all kinds of holidays - loads of families around but also plenty of younger groups - some great apres ski too - lively bars, some cheap food - all round the perfect place to ski!

• Great snowboarding
• Cheap food

• Snow a bit thin low down

The short transfer from Geneva makes life easy travelling with kids. There's plenty of easy, safe skiing - reassuring for parents as there are no dangerous bits. Everything is tasteful and expensive and a bit on the flashy side - fur coats and dogs in handbags - as only the french know how to do! Really delightful place if you start saving early !

• Short transfer
• easy, safe skiing

• Expensive
• A bit flashy

Went to Mayrhofen about 4 years ago and even though I've been to some other special resorts, this one is so far my favourite ski resort. Having made lots of progress I now head for resorts with more challenging skiing - Mayrhofen is great for beginners and intermediates or just those who love gentle relaxed skiing. The village itself is packed with character, Tyrolian charm, friendly people and we had a great time staying at the hotel Kramirwert. Met some great like-minded skiers and had a great boy's ski trip.

• Very charming resort
• Gentle skiing

• Skiing not challenging enough for experts

Not the best resort for families who want to ski together as you have to plan your routes carefully to not end up on a tricky red or black run with the kids! Bit of a rush around in the morning as not all the ski-schools start in the same place - my wife had to go off alone on a packed bus to find her class while I dealt with the kids - felt a bit like a normal day at home - going off to work, dropping kids off at school!!! We had outstanding snow - not sure it's like that all the time but hey - we were happy!

• Great snow

• A lot of trekking about
• Not great ski area for families who want to ski together

We bought our daughter here (3) for her first ski holiday and we would highly recommend it for family ski holidays. The staff were great in the kids facilities - really run and jolly (not always the case in France)! We chose a ski in, ski out club med hotel which made everything so much easier. Great entertainment for everyone, good food - a real treat and worth making the extra investment. Highly recommend les Menuires for family ski holidays - everyone had a great time!

• In the 3 valleys
• Great ski schools
• Accommodation on the slopes

• Expensive ski passes

I had the opportunity to visit Keystone on a business trip to Colorado. We only skied one day here but it seemed there was lots of intermediate skiing that is well serviced by lifts. We tried night skiing in Keystone which was simply delightful and so nice to enjoy a good meal straight after.

• Safe skiing for intermediates
• Night skiing

• Not much challenging skiing
• Ski area not that large

Although it takes a day or two to get your sleep sorted out, it's well worth making the effort to get to the US for some skiing. We took a 10 day deal meaning we really got our week on the slopes. The snow was simply nothing like the snow in the Alps - dry, powdery and so much fun to fall in! We're not off-piste experts but we took a guide who showed us the ropes (how nice was it being able to understand what he was saying when we got in tricky situations). The resort itself is so charming with so much to do - everyone smiles all the time which makes such a difference. Highly recommended!

Even though we went to La Tania during French holidays, the slopes seemed empty - think everyone went straight over to the rest of the 3 valleys. Fantastic new Bouc Blanc ski lift links to Courchevel and Meribel. We were lucky and had awesome snow. Amazing conditions and skiing for all abilities. Long blue back into La Tania is lovely and a nice way to end the day. Unless you are a really serious skier, don't spend the extra cash on the 3 Valleys ski pass - the skiing in La Tania is great.

• Empty slopes

We got away for Christmas and new year last year without the kids. Super romantic atmosphere in Keystone - really charming resort centre although it was cold we didnt really get to make the most of those evening strolls. Challenging and varied pistes. Rather a long walk from village centre to ski lifts and some long queues at lifts. Made a nice change from skiing in France and Switzerland. Avoid if you find the American dream a bit sickly!

• Romantic and charming

Swiss food and drink is heavenly and the views from the slopes in Grindelwald are just oustanding! Our kids loved it and we could even give them a bit of freedom (they are 12 and 14) and let them ski alone as all the runs finish back in the resort.

• great ski area

Fly to Munich, get the train and you're there! There's good varied skiing from the Hausberg area which has tree-line slopes up to the Zugspite glacier where there are wide slopes for cruising. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is very pretty and charming with lively bars like The Irish Pub and Zubel where there's some friendly apres ski going on. Good for short ski breaks

• Easy transfer
• varied skiing
• good for short ski break

Last year we spent Christmas in Breckridge - such a pretty place to be. The service was top notch as you would expect in the States - we felt like royalty! We stayed at Beaver Run Resort which is a holiday complex with everything you could dream of! If you can, go outside school holidays as there was no-one around and the snow was just out of this world - powder like we have never seen in Europe - due to the high altitude of course. Watch out for the altitude sickness - it knocks you for six for the first few days and so take lots of aspirin! Great food, really fun atmosphere - will def go back again!

People believe Berchtesgaden is only a cross-country resort but there is plenty of downhill skiing in 5 main ski areas (Jenner, Rossfeld, Hochschwarzeck, Gotschen, Gutshof/Obersalzburg) surrounding the resort linked by drag lifts. There are actually more lifts than in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Even though the resort is pretty low, we had amazing snow and this is certainly a ski resort to keep an eye on for a last minute ski holiday - check the snow forecasts and book flights and you're off!

• A lot more downhill skiing than expected

Alpe d'Huez is pretty extensive with different skiing areas. About a 10 minute wait for the main lifts in themorning even though we were there in half term so not too bad. However, the easy runs get busy with all the ski school kids and families. It's a bit hectic at times! There is lot going on in the town with a good choice of restaurants and bars. And a nice choice of restaurants on the slopes too - overall not too expensive.

• Reasonable prices
• Nice atmosphere

• Easy slopes quite crowded

We come back here every season and sometimes in teh summer too. Zell am See is great all year round. You can even ski on the glacier although we never have. IF the snow isn't good during the ski season, you can get the bus to Kaprun where snow always seems to be good.

Wengen is possibly the prettiest ski resort in the world with views of the Jungfrau and Eiger that will leave you lost for words. the skiing is as varied as one could wish for. For GOOD skiers looking for a challenge, "Oh God" is a run to scare the the pants off any self respectful skier! Take a trip to nearby Murren and visit where On Her Majesty's Secret Service was filmed. Simply super spot.

• So pretty
• Amazing views
• super skiing

• Sorry - none!

Wanted to go to Verbier since the kids were young - they now have their own kids! Finally got there last season and was not disappointed. Although I'm sure I didn't ski the way I would have all those years back! We stayed in lovely accommodation right on the mountains called Les Lutins. The views are beautiful its a wonderful, peaceful place to get away from it all. Obviously not for me anymore, but the youngsters seemed to be have a wild time off piste and on the snowparks! We took some nice walks too when the old legs got too tired!

• Relaxing, peaceful

As you would expect from a high level ski resort, the skiing is just awesome. Compared to other large ski areas, you don't get teh feeling you spent your day on a lift going somewhere. I always felt like i was skiing just to get the most out of the slope! Tignes is French so food is expensive, drinks even more expensive and the accommodation - well calling it basic is a complement. There isnt really anything charming about being Tignes, its not particuarly pretty except the fact that there is always snow! its so high, you 're always above the tree line - go into the Val d'Isere area if you want to find a FEW trees!

• SKIING out of this world

• Expensive and French (sorry!)

Great choice of restaurants, all pricey though, good ski schools but you wouldnt expect otherwise in a Swiss resort but apart from that i'm not sure what all the fuss is about! The skiing was ok - snow ok, lift system - some of it ok... Wouldn't recommend as this resort is so hyped up that it's bound to be disappointing!

Can't believe I am the only person to review st Anton on this website - what's wrong with everyone - it's such a great resort for good skiers! I have been there so many times I'v lost count. Don't come to learn to ski here - go to Lech or other swiss resorts. Things have changed a bit in recent years and without sounding like a snob, its all gone a bit down market - sign of the times i guess - recession and all!

• The skiing

• The clientele
• Atmosphere become very commercial

Went to Serre Chevalier with friends in January 2013 thought the ski area with very well suited to mix groups - wide runs and good lifts made us feel we got the best out of our days on the slopes. We stayed in Monêtier-les-Bains where you just have to go to the Grand Bains - natural spa with different heated pools - the kids were even allowed in.

With an EasyJet flight to Innsbruck and then taxi to Seefeld (30 mins), the journey is almost shorter than my daily schlep to work! Super place a real change of scenery - the scenery in particular is just outstanding - we kept stopping to look so we didnt miss anything. The ski area is small but just fine for a weekend - apparently lots of people come here to do that walking skiing - strange people! Skiing is about not having to make an effort I though! But hey each to his own - they seem to be pretty fit too so maybe that's what its all about!

• Perfect weekend ski trip spot
• Quick and easy to reach

• Bit on the quiet side

Saas Fee is a pretty ski resort at high altitude which explains the lovely weather and great snow. Food and drink is very expensive and you even pay for tap water in some mountain restaurants :( Not the best place for beginners - my wife is a long term beginner - not really her thing but she comes along to keep me company - and we had some pretty nasty moments on the runs back down to the village - even though they are blue there are some narrow icy bits!

• Pretty
• Great snow

• Expensive
• Not ideal for beginners

Spent a week in Saalbach in the school hols 2012. We were lucky with the weather, tons of snow before we arrived and then sunny skiing all week! Lucky I know! The skiing is really superb for all levels as the pistes are long with great views and plenty of challenging alternative routes. Great for families who don't want to split up but want to stay safe. Even though it was school holiday time, there were no massive queues and everyone seemed to keep moving if there were a few. You have to try goulash - the kids loved it - hearty meat stu oh and Germknodels - can't really explain what it is you just have to try one for afternoon tea! There are ski lockers at the shatenberg gondola which saves walking and carrying everyone's gear back and forth everyday. There were some really cool free style ski/snowboarder shows in the evening which the kids loved. Ski school teachers were just adorable - really patient and encouraging - nothing like those French instructors with their huge frites on their shoulders! Definitely highly recommend.

• Everything but in particular food and atmosphere

• Nothing really

I went to Obergurgl for the first time with a group of friends. We stayed in a chalet right in the centre with everything on the doorstep - what a treat - no cars, buses, crowds and trucking around with ski gear! Slopes and apres-ski were less than a 5 minute walk way. The people were super friendly, and the food just great. The skiing here is simple with wide pistes and plenty of easier slopes for the less experienced (my Mrs for example!). Snow conditions were perfect and the slopes were well looked after just like everything else here. Obergurgl is a traditional ski resort which looks like it hasnt changed for years. I would strongly recommend Obergurgl for any kind of skier - beginner, expert, boarder or young familes - we saw all sorts and everyone seemed to be having a great time!

• Great all round skiing
• Lovely traditional atmosphere

• Apres ski is a bit old hat

Lively apres-ski atmosphere in comparison to some other French resorts and really pretty village centre. we've been to. Good choice of bars & restaurants (reasonable prices). Portes du Soleil goes without saying that the skiing was superb although snow a bit thin here and there - we were there late march! This meant we had to take quite a few lifts to get up high enough to get good snow - by the time we got up there it was almost time to start heading back! But guess that's goes with the big ski area! Keep a note of last lift times to not make the return at the end of the day stressful! You need to call it a day around 3pm to be sure to not get stuck! Morzine is a very Brit friendly resort so this is something to consider if you want to get away for a real change of scenery! Everyone is ether English or speaks like an English person!

• Great skiing area
• Lively apres ski
• Really pretty ski resort

• A lot of time sitting on lifts
• snow not great low down

We've been to Mottaret Meribel a few times now and each year have had a great time. The staff in bars and lifts are really friendly and the off-piste is great! The ski passes are expensive but you get what you pay for - you have to remember what goes on behind the scenes while you're sleeping at night or having breakfast - a whole team of mountain workers slaves away to get those pistes in perfect condition for you and yours! The resort itself is great for a stroll and a bit of window shopping - nice stores with lots of cool gear but WAY too expensive - take note and order on the net in the sales when you can back home! A lot of fun had in some apres ski bars - can't remember the names though sorry!

• Friendly staff in bars (ok they were Brits!)
• great riding

• Bit pricey but hey!

Having skied all over Europe and north America I say you cannot beat the French Alps (for the skiing). THis is one of the more expensive resorts in France and is excellent for all types of skiers with good restaurants and bars. The resort itself is oozing with mountain charm and its just lovely to wander around at the end of the day - specially when there's a bit of fresh snow falling.

We skied in Mayrhofen this year and enjoyed it very much. This was a family ski holiday and we found great (and spacious) accommodation which was a joy after the pokey little ski appartments we've rented in France. Picture postcard ski resort with plenty going on for the kids - swimming pool /water park as great - we even spent a day there as the weather conditions were not great. The skiing itself is not out of this world but the prices and friendly welcome makes up for it - that's why we're going back for more this season - just hoping the snow's going to show up!

• Good value
• Charming ski resort
• spacious accommodation
• friendly people

After years of skiing in France, we heard about this resort being really super and decided to make the change! Really long transfer time but worth it as Livigno is absolutely delightful. Plenty of nice shops in a lovely pedestrian area with cozy bars and restaurants everywhere. Great wide slopes perfect for our young kids who wanted to ski with us - they skied well, we felt safe and the slopes were not even that busy. In many bars, they offer snacks when you buy drinks which is nice.

• great gentle skiing

• REALLY long transfer

Reasonable prices in Les Menuires for food and drink, in comparison to other 3 valley ski resorts apparently. Val Thorens was easily accessible, as was Meribel and Courcheval. Self catering accommodation in Chalet Dame Blanche was very pleasant. After skiing a lot in Switzerland and Austria, the French grumpy attitude was a bit much - they really need to chill out and learn how to have a laugh! Oh and also realise the we are the customer and we pay! This took off the fun edge and so not sure we would come back to france to ski again.

• Cheaper than other 3 Valley resorts

• Grumpy staff everywhere

After years skiing in Italy, Les Arcs was a delight. Great choice for end of season sunny skiing with good snow almost everywhere except the inevitable end of after brown patches and slush in sunny spots. Really good choice for intermediate skiers but blues are a bit tough for the beginners. The red runs are fun but the black runs looked pretty scary as covered in moguls - not many french resorts understand that some skiers like steep but not necessarily steep covered in huge bumps! Some good, if a little ugly, accommodation on the slopes which was great - skiing back to your door is such a luxury! Apres ski was very quiet but some nice cozy restaurants with friendly staff. Very low key ski resort which is nice as we hear that many french resorts have got a bit of a chip on their shoulder!

• No attitude
• good mid range skiing

• Too many moguls
• not enough green runs

Every year we visit Lech and we've never been disappointed. Antonius hotel is good value with good food. Snow generally excellent but slushy in the afternoon in late season so head over to Zurs. Find the prices reasonable but then nothing to compare to as we always come back!

We quite simply loved our ski hoidays in La Tania. What made it the best ski holiday ever was the fact that our 2 young kids (4 and 7) had such fun. The beginners area is easily accessible, the ski school great and we even found an English instructor! The village has a lovely atmosphere and the pedestrian area is great for wandering around safely with the kids.

• Perfect for kids
• access to the 3 valleys

We spent a great week in Chalet Oliver ia couple of years and had a great time. The chalet staff were friendly and they knocked up some nice food. We were lucky with the weather and had great snow conditions and had a go at some safe piste side off-piste under the lifts - good laughs for the people on the lifts but good for our safety. Didn't make it to the famous La Thuile where apparently everything is off-piste - maybe in a few years. We had some good private lessons with Evolution 2 and both feel like we made lots of progress.

The skiing is what you would expect - varied, relativley well looked after pistes (although not every day). Reasonable prices for generally good service - in restaurants and hotel. Nice resort to wander around in the evenings and a super spa with jacuzzi etc - just what we needed after our days on the slopes.

After skiing for years in France and Switzerland, we plucked up the courage and put away the pennies to take the kids, who are now good skiers who can appreciated good skiing, across the pond. We didn't regret our choice for one minute. We were there last season and I would go back tomorrow easily. The flight prices are the problem because its not the prices once you get there that make the big difference. There's so much to do - and although the French and Swiss Alps are stunning, here its just not the same - the views and scenery take your breath away.

• Scenery
• powder

• Expensive flights

We just got back from Ischgl - helped my brother settle in for his 2nd ski season here and we popped in to the James Blunt concert - little brother got cheap tickets! Ischgl is just amazing, the skiing is just what you expect and the snow was perfect this weekend.

• Great snow

• expensive - for students!

We spent a week here with a real mixed bag of friends - some never skied, some were experts, some wanted a cultural holiday and some, like us, were only into cross country skiing. Everyone (12 of us) had a totally lovely winter holiday. Visiting interesting sites and shopping in the morning and then some peaceful cross country skiing in Seefeld in the afternoon. The experts came back red in the face at the end of the day ranting about steep black runs - surprised none of them had a heart attack - we are all over 55! Highly recommended for mixed groups or people who are not obsessed by skiing every minute of every day.

• Lively and tons to do
• Seefeld ski area nearby

• No snow in the town
• Bit too busy and noisy

Will be going back in February and can't wait. this will be the 10th time we've come here. Generally, here you find fantastic snow and often lots of powder and great off-piste. Usually no queues thanks to the superb lift system they have there - wasnt always the case but they spent millions I reckon over the last few years. Apres-ski is a bit limited which makes it a good spot for families - and we are now a family!

• Great snow
• Family feel

There is so much to see and do here - everything is pretty and charming and packed with Swiss character. The choice of skiing is great, you can go in any direction and find superb skiing. The ice falls are really worth visiting too. Lovely romantic place to spend ski holidays with your other half.

• Plenty to do
• Super skiing

We know now we should have chosen a larger ski area - as this is a little limited for a week ski holidays. Both me and my husband didn't realise how much progress we had made and in fact we had skied most of the good runs in the first 2 days. Lovely place though with nice atmosphere and good hotels. Recommend for intermediate skiers who are not looking for miles and miles of pistes.

We certainly learnt a lesson from our last ski holidays in Cortina - read ski resort reviews before choosing a ski resort! Cortina sounded like the perfect ski resort and it certainly is IF you're rich! EVERYTHING from ski hire to a hot chocolate to a can of coke is just extortionately over priced! We're used to skiing in medium sized french resorts and this is the first time we skied Italy. Don't be put off though, everything is just perfect, service, snow, food - you just need to take a LOT of spending money.

We stayed in the lovely Hotel Macchi - super place with really nice staff. Chatel is an all-time fave with the whole family since the kids were tiny. The creche staff remembered our kids each year and this made life so much easier and more relaxing for us as parents. Goes without saying the skiing is out of this world - just huge and seemingly endless slopes - some really nice learning areas for getting the confidence up and some really lovely spots up on the slope for long lunches in the sunshine - its not called the "Sun doorways" for nothing :)

• Too many to list

• Personally - nothing except maybe bit crowded in holidays

We have friends who live in the area and we therefore visit Berchtesgaden often. The ski area has enough to be getting on with for a couple of days and the area is just so charming, we have to tear ourselves away each time we leave! Bare in mind that the skiing is not accessible from Berchtesgaden itself - not that far away though and well worth it.

Breckenridge has something for just about anyone of any level. The town has a great atmopshere and the mountain is fun too. Snow is generally awesome although last winter it wasnt great! Must be the climate problem. The lift guys did a good job though and the slopes were almost perfect every morning.

• Atmosphere
• Powder

• Bit far away from the UK!

This is a ski resort that is rarely heard of in the UK but it is a real gem and is part of a huge linked ski area (les Sybelles). Very popular with French families and great facilities for kids. Fantastic restaurants catering for mainly French tourists who want great good at great prices (unlike many Brits who are happy to pay crazy prices in 3 valleys, Killy etc). Lots of easily accessible off piste which remains untracked for days as the area attracts more families rather than experts. Excellent scenery (Aguille d'Arves are stunning & even views of Mont Blanc) and great sense of travel when skiing to neighbouring linked resorts. The top of the village attracts young Dutch who like to party but they are easily avoided. Some great bars in the centre which can be quite lively (mainly French crowd) but this is not Meribel/Val d'Isere/Verbier! It is a genuinely warm, authentic pretty village (baroque church, Beaufort cheese factory & shop, local honey, genepi, diots, fondue etc) perfectly situated to take advantage of a huge linked ski area.

• Huge ski area. Lots of easily accessible off piste. Great restaurants at great prices.

• Quiet night life compared to other big European resorts.

Last year my husband and I went to Les Gets with our children (5 and 7) and we had a super ski holiday. The village is so cozy and exudes a real fairytale atmosphere, especially at night when everythihg is lit up! The ski area was great for the kids and they really had a good first ski experience in my opinion and will want to go again. The lessons were given in a very nice way and they learned a lot in a week. In the village there are many restaurants and we spent a few evenings at the skating rink. We have nothing bad to say about Les Gets - really charming ski resort.

• Charming ski resort
• Great ski school for kids

We've been to Les Gets many times and still like it. For 2014, I therefore booked again in this authentic French village where everyone is still friendly, both in the restaurants, the supermarket and in particular in the ski hire shops. I have my own ski but because we rented skis for my husband, mine were adjusted for free! You can reach two ski areas from Les Gets, the area of ​​the Mont Chery (very quiet) or towards Morzine and the entire area Portes du Soleil which is a fantastic ski area with lots of pine trees. Gorgeous! For beginners, there are many practice runs and for advanced enough red and black runs. The queues at the lifts are acceptable and at some lifts there is almost no waiting - not even in the spring. From the motorway its only a few kilometers to the resort of Les Gets so it's ideal to reach by car.

• Easy to reach by car
• friendly atmosphere
• great skiing in the Portes du Soleil

• Nothing

We have been going to Les 2 Alpes for several years now for the : guaranteed snow (glacier area where you can ski up to 3200m), wide well-groomed slopes and plenty of apres ski in the village. Les 2 Alpes is a long and narrow village, so be careful where you book your accommodation: best close to the main ski lift 'Jandri Express because it takes you to the higher skiing. Its also ideal for families with children: many easy slopes are at the top of the glacier so beginners can enjoy good snow too. Tip: ESF ski school collects generally at the Residence "Cote Brune" so quite handy if you stay there ... But Les 2 Alpes has several free ski buses that run constantly in the village so wherever you stay, you can reach the ski lifts easily. There are also many restaurants in the resort centre, something for everyone.

• Guaranteed snow
• high altitude beginners slopes with good snow

Les Deux Alpes has a lot to offer all types of snow sports fans. Free slopes for beginners and varied slopes for intermediates to fabulous off piste for the experts - my husband had a ball here. Apart from skiing, there are plenty of apres ski bars or we had a few cozy dinners in some of the many restaurants. The Raisin d'Ours is a must, reservation is recommended! The European ski and snowboard school is a super good ski school with only small groups and the instructors speak good English!

• Free skiing for beginners
• Lively apres ski
• good ski school

• Gets a bit rowdy in the evenings

We stayed at the Sabine in Oberlech; fantastic accommodation; on the slopes; good food and drink; wellness centre; ski school onsite; everything was excellent! Oberlech is above Lech by the way! The area is very quiet. There are many hiking trips to be made ​​in the area but leave with good preparation as we heard a few incidents take place each year.

• Great for winter hiking and skiing

• Quieter than expected apres ski

We come to Kitzbuhel every year with my family and every year the weather is nice and the snow is great. The people are always friendly and you can have fun on the slopes as the atmosphere is very laid back. There is great skiing for beginners, intermediates and experts - we have one or 2 of each level in our family. We are going back again next year, because we're almost guaranteed the perfect family ski holiday.

• Laid back atmosphere
• great slopes for beginners

• Bit expensive

Ischgl is one of those ski resorts that you just have to keep going back to! If you've been so many times, you know the slopes like the back of your hand, you'll probably go back just for the luxury - like the heated chair lifts. Also you might go back for the huge apres ski scene in Ischgl - which is world famous. You'll find all sorts of music mixed together and everyone gets involved from young to old. It is advisable to take plenty of spending money as everything is expensive and it would be a shame to miss out.

• Heated chair lifts
• Awesome apres ski

• Expensive

We have been to Ischgl about 4 times now and it is just super. The ski area is large and extensive, with fast lifts. There are beautiful gentle slopes and some wonderful steep black runs. The slopes towards Alpe Trida (Samnaun) are great for carving. The run to Samnaun is not suitable for snowboarders, who will have a lot of walking to do. Lots of nice mountain restaurants on the slopes, where prices are lower than expected. Ischgl itself is quite pricey, so bring a well-filled wallet with you if you want to really enjoy the après-ski. The Kuhstall is top notch, and Fire & Ice, always guaranteed a good time!

• Great atmosphere
• super ski area
• Nice choice of mountain restaurants

• Bit expensive

Last winter I was in Innsbruck for a few days, quite a pleasant city itself. What's really great is that you fly to Innsbruck so there is no long transfer time! With public transportation, in no time at all, we were in the center. The first day we enjoyed the architect design and culture and the second day we went up onto the Stubai Glacier. From Innsbruck, the ski bus leaves regularly and the journey is pretty easy. The snow conditions and the slope range were fantastic. A really great place for a weekend skiing break.

• Really close to the airport
• Interesting city

• Big city feel

I've been here a few times with different friends with all different ski levels. Each time, no-one seems disappointed. The ski area is (besides always have excellent snow) is very varied, you have so many options because the ski area is so big. Different types of runs, off-piste, snowparks and good apres ski, everythign you're looking for to make a great ski holiday can be found here.

• Great varied skiing

Spent the Christmas holidays with the family here. We really loved the beautiful slopes. However, there was a large group of Russian visitors who do not respect others much; lots of pushing and shoving while waiting for the cable car that spoilt our family experience a little! The ski resort is quite charming and there were a number of discos / bars with loud music. Plenty of Dutch and Germans around too making it obvious that they were there!

• Good skiing

• Mixed international crowd on the slopes

My skiing holidays in Garmisch last winter were a big success, everyone enjoyed themselves here. There is a snow-sure ski area (thanks to the glacier) with varied slopes for every level. Our children really enjoyed themselves here and made lots of progress too. We took some walks through the beautiful surroundings. A very successful ski holiday as there is something for everyone in Garmisch.

• Nice atmosphere
• Snow-sure ski area

Small but great ski resort. Has slopes directly from the village. Nice spacious slopes and the best thing is that the Dutch and Germans have not discovered Courmayeur yet. Great!

• Large ski area
• Wide slopes

Great ski city but you have to use the car to get anywhere. For a relaxing week with friends I found it ideal but I could see that it wasnt ideal for families with young kids - saw quite a few families have a bit of a hard time. Skiing great though extremely high-level, plenty of challenging descents and personally i felt i made a lot of progress being pushed by my ski buddies who are much better than me!

• A ski city - that's what you come here for
• Good apres ski

• Resort itself is a bit large and impersonal but plenty to do

Every year we come to La Clusaz, it's really convenient to get to from Lyon. This year, we chose to come out of season in January with the kids and we saw the difference: the slopes are much less crowded than in February and it is much more enjoyable. In addition, we fell on the weekend of the Full Moon Party: extraordinary experience skiing under the stars!

• Easy to get to from Lyon

• Crowded slopes in high season

Despite the somewhat "psychedelic" appearnce and large concrete buildings in Flaine, we found that it's actually a really nice resort. Already, no need to take the car, everything is on your doorstep, restaurants, bars, supermarkets and especially the slopes located just at the foot of our accommodation, -a real luxury. I would recommended Flaine for its fabulous snow in the Grand Massif and if you like wilderness, powder and bumps, you'll be in heaven here.

• Fantastic challenging skiing
• ski in ski out resort

• Not the classic picture postcard ski resort

Perfect ski resort for families with kids. My daughters are both beginners and really enjoyed their ski lessons - me too in fact! The views are fantastic and we were treated to some amazing weather - sun all week, if I remember rightly. There's a nice relaxed atmosphere in the resort with a good choice of restuarants and cafes. For family apres-ski, we spent some time in the indoor swimming pool and at the ice rink. The Hammam was a nice treat - especially the first few days. The resort itself is not particularly attractive.

• Nice family feel
• Good ski lessons
• Swimming pool and ice rink are great

• Not particuarly attractive resort

The site is very open and offers lovely views of the Matterhorn! In addition, the modernization of lifts is well underway (gondolas, cable ...) and so there are already notably less queues. The pistes are long, in particular the Ventina, and the ski area is huge. People made a real effort to speak ENglish - thankfully.

• Lovely views and scenery

• Lifts not well connected

I was surprised by the appearance of the resort as although I wasn't expecting a cute little ski resort I thought it must have some charm as it is so popular! However, sadly, it is a city with no real charm. Anyway: the main reason to come here is on the slopes. There are five areas that you can explore in a day all connected by shuttle or train (included in the ski pass), with good modern ski lifts and very nice off-piste opportunities. The snow parks looked a bit beefy so we didn't venture there!

• Nice off-piste skiing

• Ski resort that lacks charm

Can't give Courchevel a 10 because of its disappointing, overrated, overpriced nightlife. This resort has unfortunately been spoilt by its reputation as a resort for the jet set. This is very true in the palaces of Courch '1850 but its not the case everywhere - we visited Le Praz which is a lazy little village with almost nothing going on! Courchevel 1650 is more authentic too. If you're looking for some awesome skiing on almost empty slopes (as this part of the 3 Valleys has a reputation for being really tricky) the Saulire is where you'll find the best snow and it's not as hard as we expected! The Alpine Garden has some easy runs which we really appreciated on those mid-week days when everything hurts!

• Awesome skiing

• Overpriced
• Overrated, pretentious apres ski

Cortina is to be experienced at least once in your lifetime. We're talking about the most beautiful ski resort in Italy in my opinion. Everything is just lovely: beautiful pistes (the three sectors each have their charm), superb panoramic views and an unusual, classy but sporty ambience. Do not be fooled by the superficial reputation of Cortina, it is there for real, with great skiing on the slopes and superb snow throughout the season. We would go back again without doubt!

• Classy and charming
• Excellent snow

• Expensive

The advantage of the Portes du Soleil, of which Chatel is one of the gateways, is that you have a variety of amazing pistes to choose from. But do not be fooled: from Châtel, even skiing really well, you can not go to the other end of the ski area to reach Switzerland. But this doesn't really matter as there is plenty to do. A special mention to the local ESF, which multiplies its ideas for childrens' well-beig and therefore parents' peace of mind: everyone had a great ski holiday in Chalet and we would go back at the drop of a hat!

• Huge ski area
• Very good ski school

• Ski area has some busy spots

Les Arcs, we have finally found our dream ski resort and we now come back every year - if possible off-season because in February, otherwise you have to fight with the crowds! You come to Les Arcs to ski miles and miles and to enjoy the altitude, the view of Mont Blanc. "Paradiski" ski area is very aptly named! Although Les Arcs is not particularly pretty, he village of Arc 1950 is a gem of mountain architecture, with plenty of great shops and good restaurants.

• Endless skiing
• Fantastic off-piste
• Great restaurants

• Gets very busy

Skiing, sun and fun, what more could you ask for? Maybe the only problem here is the fact that everyone loves La Plagne so its gets a bit crowded! The next time, we will come off-season to be able to really enjoy all the possibilities offered by the resort. This is a really ideal ski are for good snow especially around the Pic Blanc and the snowparks are really great. But there isn't only skiing in Alpe d'Huez! The highlights for us were the snowmobile tours and the atmosphere in the bars at night... Had to force ourselves to go to bed!

• Sunny skiing
• Great apres ski
• Really affordable prices

• Gets very busy everywhere

We are huge fans of the Three Valleys and we go back every year. Last year we chose to stay in La Tania as the resort is situated between Courchevel and Meribel and we fancied a change. La Tania really is just beautiful, all the buildings are made of wood, the forest is preserved and we enjoyed some snowshoe walks on top of the skiing. No comment about the 3 Valleys, if you haven't been there, you haven't skied! Another nice thing about La Tania is it's full of Brits so you feel right at home - everyone speaks English - in the restaurants and supermarkets - makes for a less stressful ski holiday in my mind!

• Everyone speaks English
• Beautiful ski resort
• 3 Valleys skiing

We did well to come to La Rosiere! We found a warm atmosphere, on and off the slopes! Sun on the slopes, good restaurants and friendly people. Don't hesitate coming to La Rosiere if you have children as the resort has the Famille Plus label which means you'll find everything you need for the little ones - and good quality too. La Rosière is the opposite of "ski factories," there are not too many people on the slopes, you can always find parking and no queues in supermarkets. They even offer heliskiing in La Rosiere but frankly this activity is not within our means ...

• Great for families
• Warm and friendly atmosphere

We have been regulars at La Plagne and the Paradiski area since the kids were small and its so great here, there's no chance we getting tired of the skiing, the area is so huge. Skiing is one of the few activities that our teens still want to do with us, so we took advantage and spent some really fun times on the slopes! They even talked us into trying the boardercross and a small part of the easy snowpark! And there's so many other great activities for kids - of all ages in La Plagne! Every year, there seems to be something new to try - maybe as they are growing up too! This year they tried climbing on frozen waterfalls and the famous bobsled which was, I admit, terrifying! Watch out though as this is not a cheap ski holiday for parents ...

• Paradiski - just what it says on the label
• Great choice of activities for all ages

• Expensive

La Clusaz really is the perfect ski resort - I am trying to think of something it's missing! Lovely traditional resort centre with its church and chalets for the authentic charm and then a modern area, with facilities a gogo! The skiing is varied and athletic, with some awesome off-piste itineraries (La combe du Borderan after a foot of snow - out of this world!). The slopes are divided into five areas, without the need to take the ski bus, so you never get bored with so much choice. We chatted with a few cross country skiers and hikers who also said they loved the options here in the Confins area, a beautiful location a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the resort. The après-ski is exceptional: bars, pubs and clubs are numerous in the atmosphere is just what we were looking for.

• Pretty, authentic ski resort
• Great off-piste skiing
• Fantastic apres ski

As everyone does not ski in our group of friends (including me), every year we try to find a resort where everyone can have a great holiday. And this year it was Gstaad. I was reluctant at first, but the resort is more interesting than it seems at first, and has a great pedestrian area. We spend lots of time (window) shopping in the resort center, where the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. For skiing, my husband thought the area was rather small, but he appreciated the quality of the slopes. With the other non-skiers, we loved the walking trails among the pretty chalets and especially the spas! Gstaad lives up to the reputation of being a world-class, good all-round ski resort.

• Plenty to do for non-skiers
• Nice pedestrian resort centre

• Quite expensive
• Ski area a little limited (for advanced skiers)

From the slopes at Grindelwald, the views are impressive, you are surrounded by the Eiger, Jungfrau, and the impressive Wetterhorn. So you have to force yourself to watch the slope ahead instead of looking at the views! The ski area is divided into two sides, so you can focus on good snow or sunshine, according to how you feel and your level. And there's plenty to do, even without taking the extended ski pass that takes you up to Wengen. The atmosphere is casual, with no frills, friendly apres ski - just perfect for me and my teenage kids.

• Beautiful ski slopes
• Nice traditional ski resort feeling

I was reluctant to spend a week in Flaine because of the architecture of the resort, as I personally prefer charming ski resorts with tons of pretty ski chalets. But my husband convinced me and I do not regret being convinced: the skiing is simply wonderful, the snow was good and if you forget the unattractive aspect, Flaine is a modern resort, where everything is designed for the comfort of families: the ESF lessons and teachers were great with the kids, our accommodation was close to the slopes (mostly the case) and there wasn't anything else we were lacking for a great ski holiday. We had sun all week which was just perfect, but maybe this was just good luck? We'll have to go back to see!

• Great skiing for all levels
• ski in ski out accommodation
• good kids facilities

• A little expensive
• Not very attractive ski resort

Ski resort in a super setting up on a cliff - don't go near the edge if you don't like heights! Tons of activities for the whole family - great skating rink and awesome new indoor pool with so much to do for all ages. the kids prefered this to the skiing! The slopes are lovely - skiing back to the resort centre at the end of the day is a real luxury - no ski buses, no trying to fit everything in the car - just park your skis next to a nice cafe and watch the world go by. We're a real mixed bag of skiers - husband been at it for years, I'm a wobbly, worrying mum, and the 3 kids are making their way through the ESF stars but we really found the skiing very well adapted to our needs - we never needed to take a black run to get where we wanted to go - there was generally an easy option - thankfully! We found staff generally a bit stuffy and unfriendly - bit like we were bothering them - but I've heard this is quite often the case in French ski resorts... Nothing else to complain about though :)

• ski in ski out - no cars in sight
• great alternative activities

• lots of large apartment blocks
• staff a bit stuffy

Our 5 and 6 year olds learnt to ski for first time, and they loved La Rosiere. Great ski school, and didn't feel overcrowded. Also our ski chalet at Chalet Chez Robert was just 150 metres from the lift - a godsend at the end of the day.

• Safe and friendly resort

Really perfect for families who want to ski in the Three Valleys but who don't want to pay the high accommodation prices in the other big resorts.

• Really pretty

Right on the edge of the huge 3 Valleys ski area, this mountain spa town is a real treasure - the baths are out of this world. Really nice atmosphere and plenty to do - great place!

• Access to 3 Valleys ski area

• Low so not particularly snowy in the resort

Don't come here looking for lively après-ski! It's perfect for a quiet, relaxing falily ski holiday. Great meeting point at Le Bettex. Some nice restaurants and a peaceful feel about the resort. A little gem that really I should keep secret!

• Quiet and peaceful

• Not much nightlife if that's what you're looking for!

Awesome skiing in a lunar landscape - don't go to Val Tho looking for pretty tree-lined ski slopes - there's hardly a tree in sight! Great for a change of scenery though - even when you're right at the top you can only see snow!

• Great skiing
• Beautiful scenery
• Great apres ski

• Expensive but then to be expected!
• On cloudy days, it's a bit bleak!

Perfect for a group of mixed skiers and snowboarders - mostly intermediate to advanced. The nightlife is nice and varied too - everything a bit on the expensive side but you can't complain when you get up on the slopes!

• Varied après ski
• varied skiing

• expensive
• some places can be a bit pretentious

This resort is great and the ski area is vast, the name says it all - Paradiski! We skied and snowboarded! We had heavy snow while we were there and not great conditions but the slopes were still really well maintained and hardly any runs closed! The accommodation was great, we stayed in a self-catering flat but we went out eating and drinking most nights - plenty of choice on this front.

• Huge ski area
• Well maintained slopes even after heavy snow
• Lots of activities for our bored teenagers

• None

First holiday alone with my husband for a long time! We decided to brave the long journey to test this famous resort and it turns out its well worth a visit. Everything is done to make people feel at ease. The night life is absolutely insane though so choose your accommodation carefully or you might not sleep well! Even though the resort is a bit glitzy, we still felt at home. The small downside is perhaps the cost but then compared to some resorts in France, it was worth making the effort. We may come back in some time. I think we might be hooked!

• Great for mixed groups
• The ski area

• Long journey
• A bit expensive

If you want to relax in a truly healthy environment, this is the resort for you. You won't need your car all week - what a nice break from driving! Absolutely brilliant. I finally found a ski resort that meets my expectations in respect of the environment. In the evening, we had the choice of several restaurants, with different specialties ... Ski tours were nice too, we really enjoyed the scenery with all the famous mountain peaks of over 4000 meters, absolutely magnificent. We didn't blow our budget either! Will definitely come back!

• Car free
• Awesome skiing
• Great atmosphere

• Not for those who like to have their car at hand!

lovely town centre with lots of charm and some great restaurants and nightlife - if a little out dated - skiing lives up to its world class reputation - absolute must for all ski buffs

• atmosphere
• endless skiing possibilities

• bit expensive
• overcrowded in school holidays

We chose this resort as the wife is expecting so couldn't ski with me. We had an amazing holiday, watching the world go by in the cafes and walking along the many, lovely hiking paths. I managed get in some top skiing without feeling like I was leaving Sally out of it.

• Great hiking circuit
• Good apres ski

• Sometimes the glamour gets a bit much!

Stayed in Flaine Forum and happy we did as this where the evening activity happens. There are some pretty ugly buildings here but the centre is at least pedestrianised so it's nice and quiet.

• Excellent skiing

• Ugly resort and a few too many snowboarders for my liking!

We didn't know whether to board or ski - the snowparks are just fabulous, the off-piste dreamy and the slopes endless with tons of really tricky black ones. Just paradise really! Didn't see any Royals on the slopes though so a bit disappointed!

• Out of this world skiing

• Becoming more expensive

Fantastic snow this year again! Last year stayed in Crans, this year in Montana - certainly noticed the difference in prices and think we'll be returning to Montana! Both great places for people watching on and off the slopes - some good apres-ski.

• High altitude, sunny skiing

• The better skiers didn't have much to challenge then on the slopes

Tons of excellent off-piste - we were particularly lucky with the snow, it has to be said - but it just seemed to go on forever! The kids had boarding lessons and just loved every minute of it.

• Really easy to get to.

• The blues are more like reds and the reds more like blacks - so watch out!

Really had a week in Davos - a first ski holiday with our young kids. Nice ski resort with plenty going on and apparently some excellent and quite late apres-ski - which we didn't managed to get involved in. A very mixed ski area with plenty for the kids and lots for intermediate skiers too.

• Lots of family friendly restaurants where didn't feel like the kids were spoiling other people's meals!

• A lot of young snowboarders around who didn't take much notice of small kids on the slopes!

Just incredible and endless skiing - we're pretty good skiers and after a week here, we felt like we'd hardly started! Didn't often need to get the ski map out as everything is well signposted. Pretty pedestrian centre with very welcoming atmosphere - spent a lot of time chatting with locals about climbing, skiing etc - they seemed very keen to chat to tourists - which makes a change!

• Love the electric buses!

• Expensive - but have to say - worth it!

Perfect slopes with no nasty surprises, tons of variety and great lifts - hardly any queueing when we were there. Unless you're a really serious skier, don't bother buying the ski passes to ski over into Italy - we just didn't get round to going as there was so much great skiing on the doorstep! Nice relaxed atmosphere on the slopes - maybe the high prices keep the younger crowds away...

• Great atmosphere on and off the slopes

• Sorry to say it but it's rather expensive!

Great doorstep skiing which made this ski holiday really stress free - although you have to be careful to get the right lift back to the resort or you could walk quite a way! Nice family holidays spent here - kids loved the snowy streets and horse sleighs and we loved not having to take (or even see) a car or bus all week! Good skiing for kids, great ski school with funny instructors - the kids want to go back again next year.

• Everything on your doorstep

• Quite expensive

Really friendly locals who genuinely made the effort to make us feel welcome. Endless slopes and some great freeriding - the off piste just went on for ever! Did some great hiking here too - need to know where you're going though - the area is huge!

• Friendly ski resort

• Can't really think of any!

Huge ski area, lovely traditional resort with tons to do after skiing and late into the evening too! Will definitely go back again - will start saving now though as it was very pricey - but worth it!

• Lovely atmosphere

• Expensive but worth it

Typical Italian feel with tons of cafes and shops oozing with character. Left the kids at the Monte Bianco kids club - everyone had a great time!

• Authentic

• Can't really think of any!

Excellent skiing and awesome nightlife - we had some great nights at the Blu Room...

• Beautiful place

• Expensive and sometimes a bit pretentious!

Ski resort full of charm, some great facilities for young kids and a calm nightlife which meant we weren't kept awake all night (like in some resorts). Skiing was just excellent - goes without saying I guess!

• Easy to get to - not far from Geneva airport

• Nothing really - maybe a little more expensive than we expected!

We went with a group of mixed level skiers and found that Cervinia's ski was perfect for them - the better skiers took the link over to Zermatt where the skiing is much more challenging. Pleasant atmosphere in the resort center.

• Good skiing for everyone

• Not much choice of nightlife - only bars and 1 nightclub - bit on the quiet side!

We stayed in a holiday village with a great swimming pool, sauna complex, pool room - thankfully as there's not a lot of apres ski in the resort for young teens to enjoy.

• Great place for strolling and skiing

• Very quiet in the evenings

Some really great sunny skiing, excellent ski school and really good facilities for children. Nightlife looked really good although with young kids we didn't really get out much but we did sample a couple of excellent restaurants that were pretty child friendly. We

• Really good activities for kids

• Expensive - but that wasn't a surprise!

We stayed in La Plagne Soleil which is just a little higher than La Plagne where we made the most of doorstep skiing (perfect for the kids). There's tons to do to stop the kids getting bored. There are some great mountain restaurants although there are a bit pricey - by the end of the week, we had started to ask around and planned our skiing day around the slightly less expensive ones!

• Tons of skiing

• Bit expensive and the ski resort isn't particularly attractive

Really fell in love with the charming old mountain town which dates back to, not sure, but a long way! You can get lost in the back streets for hours and come across lots of interesting characters in unexpected places! The skiing is pretty good but not as much as we expected - we found we skied quite a lot of the same runs - although they were great so it didn't really matter! Will definitely go back for more...

• Lovely historical feel with good, trendy nightlife

• Skiing a little limited - but we are very demanding!

Because this is actually a large town, even if you've got non skiers in your group (like we had) there's so much to do and see here, that no-one gets bored. There are lots of museums, galleries, activities for kids, cinema, etc... Up on the slopes, it's pretty much the same story - there's just so much choice you almost don't know where to start! The largest area - Olympia Skiworld Innsbruck - was the best adapted for our group as we had boarders and skiers of all levels - some taking ski lessons, some with kids etc so we all managed to find the perfect slopes and pretty much stay together (or at least meet up at lunch and for tea) each day. There are some amazing restaurants and there's something for all budgets here - we treated ourselves a couple of nights, then had pizza the next - all in all, we didn't blow the holiday budget at all!

• Choice, choice and more choice!

• Big town feeling can get a bit hectic and noisy sometimes.

Most people don't bother with the ski areas of Brevent and Flegere right down near the resort and go straight up to the ski slopes at Grand Montets - they don't know what they're missing - there is some amazing skiing here and there were no lift queues! We even tried the Valley Blanche - what an experience - there weren't many people so we felt like we had the mountains almost to ourselves. The top bit is a bit scary but once you get past that, the skiing is really gentle and you simply have to follow your guide and enjoy the outstanding views! Will do it again!

• So much to do here, you can't do it all in a week!
• The off piste is just out of this world - it just goes on and on...

• The town can get quite busy, with lots of traffic so the atmosphere is a bit hectic sometimes.

The skiing here is just superb - we heard everyone talking about the famous 'Wall' slope, with huge moguls - we're good skiers but not quite that good! Apparenty it's awesome! The ski and snow parks here are great fun for all the family, with jumps, etc. Life in the resort is also quite relaxed and friendly. There are some lovley bakerys for fresh bread and croissants and lots of cosy cafes for hot chocolate breaks. This was the perfect resort for us as we have 2 teenagers who snowboard - one is more keen than the other so we could let them do their own thing and come and go from the apartment as they liked during the day and easily meet up in the village without the feeling that you've come down for the day. The fact that the resort is pedestrian also means peace and mind for parents and we felt really well rested when we left after a week here. Although we're past all that, there is a lovely romantic feel here with the horse drawn carridges with sleigh bells trotting past from time to time. From the village you get some just stunning views down into the valley - the cliff edges are not for those who suffer from vertigo!

• Pedestrian, easy to get around and meet up with kids, nice atmosphere

• not a huge choice of nightlife for the teenagers

The pedestrian centre is really bizarre to start with - when you arrive, you have to carry your luggage to your accommodation on a sledge! Even though there are a lot of high apartment blocks, I actually really felt at home here and the high buildings make a kind of enclosure where you feel protected from the elements. Had some great lunches in the resort centre - much cheaper than eating up on the mountain and just as pleasant as you're surrounded by snow and skiers flying by!

• Lovely change of scenery, we went home feeling completely rested - the whole family!

• Not much nightlife - although this made for peaceful evenings for the parents!

Apparently the Dutch royal family have been coming here for years although we've never bumped into them even though we've been here many times. Although this is an expensive resort, you really get what you pay for. After spending years trying to not to spend too much each year on a ski holiday we finally realised that each year we still spend a fortune even in the cheaper resorts! So now we treat ourselves each year, come to Lech, eat out once or twice a week and make sandwiches for lunch! The accomodation is not ALL expensive and there"s a really nice atmosphere in the village centre. If you make it to Oberlech, this is a great traffic-free zone- very green!

• Lovely atmosphere, classy but not too pricey

• Can't really think of any apart from the prices - which you can work round...

What a wonderful ski resort for people spotting - we spotted Madonna (not sure though as she had scarf, goggles, helmet etc) and her kids! This is a pretty pricey resort but certainly no more than Courchevel in France - you pay for the amazing skiing but you don't necessarily have to get involved in all the other expensive stuff like lunch up the mountain or glitzy nightlife. We spent a great week here rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous and only went a little over our budget!

• Great nightlife if you can afford it - we went out only 1 night!

• Expensive and a bit pretentious

Serious competition for the more popular resorts like Val d’Isére or Méribel. Prices are extremely reasonable and this resort doesn't have that pretentious feel that a lot of the big resorts have. Great place for kids and apres ski - there’s loads of bars here to try - O’Sharkeys, Smithy's, The Crowded House are just a few. The skiing here is comparable with the best.

• Great kids ski school

• Pretty ugly resort

Not cheap but actually it’s still better value than the big French and Swiss resorts. The Trofana Alm, which claims to be the best après ski bar in the world, is the place to be if you're looking for traditional après ski. It's a bit cheesy but it's incredible as everyone gets involved and has a great time. Great skiing and some wonderful restaurants...

• Great traditional après ski for those who want it!

• Not cheap!

Les Gets has tons of extra activities for kids including a chocolate workshop and a mechanical museum. The resort itself has an unspoilt traditional village charm about it and has built itself a good reputation as one of the most family friendly resorts in the Alps. There are also plenty of child care facilities which are reasonably priced. La Grand Ourse mountain restaurant at the top of Mount Cherie has the most amazing food with some of the best mountain views we've seen yet. The British Ski School here is great.

• Great for kids

• Not an enormous ski area

Some great skiing. Ski resort is really easy to access - no hairpin bends so great if you get car sick! We liked this ski resort so much we came back in the summer - wonderful holiday walking, swimming, rafting and relaxing. All the little villages in the area are really nice to visit. Fanastic thermal spa nearby in Monetier - the Grands Bains du Monetier.

• Easily accessible

• Main road runs through the centre of the ski resort

In Val Thorens, you're really on the top of the world - there are no trees at this altitude which, I think, makes this resort really special. You can't see the snow line, all you can see if snowcapped peaks and they go on for ever. A great place for a change of scenery. The skiing is as expected, out of this world and endless - you simply CANNOT do it all in a week. Popped into the Folie Douce for a bit of madness! This ski resort has a certain charm - you can walk and ski everywhere and most of the buildings are attractive and built in traditional chalet style. When you come back down into the valley after a week's holiday in Val Thorens, you feel like you've been in a different world.

• Doorstep skiing

• Everything a bit pricey but that's kind of expected in the 3 Valleys

2 resorts joined together so 2 quite different atmospheres. One side is rather old fashioned and the other is more modern with some not very attractive 70s style buildings. But overall, a great resort with something for everyone - loads of nightlife which attracts a younger crowd and can get a bit rowdy. Choose your accommodation carefully if you like to go to bed early.

• Good varied skiing - would be a good place for kids.

• Rather unattractive ski resort

Right in the middle of the 3 Valleys, we found this resort a lot less expensive than its reputation. We stayed in a great apartment with open fireplace for 400 euros and even though the ski passes were expensive, we managed to eat at lunchtime and in the evening for very reasonable prices. You just have to shop around. Great place for people watching - lots of fur coats and cigars! Loads of apres ski.

• Pleasant, charming ski resort

• Rather tricky last run down to the village - icy in the morning, slushy at the end of the day

We've been going to Val for years and have seen its evolution from popular, not too expensive ski resort to trendy, stylish and rather expensive resort. Even if it's expensive now, we cannot resist returning each year. This ski resort has something special and with the recent renovation and construction of attractive chalet-style buildings, and a great ski lift network, you know you're paying for something.

• Great restaurants and fanastic skiing including Tignes

• Getting a little bit expensive

On first impression, this ski resort seemed a bit ugly and modern but once you get used to the many large apartment blocks, it actually has a rather cozy feeling about it. You don't see any cars, just horse sleighs and skiers in the centre - it's a great place for a complete change of scenery! Really wonderful skiing.

• Ski to your door and to the shops!

• Not a large choice of late night apres ski